Let The Truth Be Told
by beautiful heart ix
Summary: IMPORTANT NOTICE INSIDE! Instead of taking Buffy to heaven, the portal mixes with a different portal. There, she meets Sirius Black, where they try to escape from behind the veil!
1. I Wish I May, I Wish I Might

HP/BTVS Crossover. My first fic. Instead of going to Heaven after jumping into the portal in S5, Buffy gets trapped in another dimension, where she meets none other than Sirius Black, who also is trapped. Both families and friends believe them to be dead, but together they will escape the world behind the Veil. They will re-enter the lives they once left behind, won't they?

....Basically I'm taking this AU. Everything up to the episode 'The Gift' happened, except Buffy's body being found. And for Harry Potter, it will be taking place in Harry's first year out of Hogwarts. Sirius has been 'dead' for 3 years....Voldemort has still not been defeated...etc... Any questions? Ask meh.

**Chapter 1: Wish I May, Wish I Might.**

Everything Buffy Summers had just said to her younger sister repeated through and through again in her mind. Bolts of lightening jabbed and jolted at her skin, wincing at every movement. The swift wind of the glowing portal, consumed Buffy like a Thanksgiving meal.

Swirls of blue, silver and white surrounded her now limp body, swallowing it whole. In a moment, the flashes stopped, the noises from the deadly creatures obliverated, just as Buffy's body did.

Rupert Giles stood at the bottom of the tower, looking up into the hazy purple sky, seeing the sun begin to rise over the horizon. No sign of Buffy whatsoever. Dawn, Buffy's only sister, came slowly down the steps of the tower built by crazy civilians, clutching the wound on her stomach.

She too, had noticed Buffy's disappearance. Tears swelled beneath her dark lashes and then shed freely beyond. Xander, carrying his girlfriend, also an ex demon, Anya, froze in his place. He knew what had happened. He glanced over at his other life long friend, Willow Rosenburg who had burst into tears. Tara held her and whispered soothing words into her ear.

A peroxide blonde vampire that looked thouroughly damaged sat weeping among a pile of debri. Dawn's chin quivered as she thought of her brave sister's last words. 'Be brave. Live. For me.' Then she had jumped, right before Dawn's eyes.

Dawn closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. Her mother was gone, and she learned to accept that. But now, the one person she had left, was gone too. Sure, Willow, Xander, Giles, and everyone else would be there to help take care of her, but it just wasn't the same.

Looking up to the early morning sun, that was rising up toward the sky, Dawn scowled. It wasn't fair that her sister, Buffy, the girl who had saved the world so many times before, saved lives for years, had to die. It wasn't fair. But then again, since when was life fair?

........................................................................................................................................................................

Everything was spinning. Although everything was black, swept over in darkness, Buffy's stomahc did flipflops, telling her that she was still moving. Her body felt like it was flying through air, yet it ached all over.

She knew what it was like to have a two-edged sword jabbed through her abdomen, and this pain was much more than that. Suddenly, the world seemed to stop spinning and Buffy felt like she had made contact with solid ground. But she was dead right?

Was it all a dream? A nightmare that she had? Maybe Glory didn't exist, just a figment of her imagination. Dawn wasn't The Key, but a normal teenage girl who hated everyone.

Buffy's hazel orbs flickered open slowly to find herself in more swirling colours. The ground that she lay on was a murky grey and her surroundings and sky were vast shades of lavender and violet.

She needed a door to escape. A way out. When she stood upright, Buffy felt a pulling sensation behind her navel and she fell back onto the dark, stormy ground below.

Putting a hand against her forhead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again to find a tall man with long stringy black hair staring down at her.

He looked just as confused as she did and he offered her a hand up. She dismissed his hand and stood, slowly of course, on her own. Buffy glared at the man that seemed a little put out now.

He was wearing a dress of some sort... No. Robes. They were robes. He looked scruffy and unshaven. The man had eyes of a steel blue that Buffy could tell had seen almost as much as she had, maybe more. The man looked to be in his early forties.

Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat and spoke dryly. "Who are you?" She eyed the man questioningly and he frowned, knitting his eyebrows together in confusion.

"Sirius. Sirius Black."


	2. The World Beyond The Veil

**A/N:** Sorry my first chapter was sooo short... I just had to get it done and out of the way. Now that I did that, I can work on Chapter 2. This one will be longer, I promise!! R&R!!

**Chapter 2 : The World Behind The Veil**

Buffy stared at the man who called himself Sirius Black. She giggled and put her hands to her side.

"Seriously?" The black haired man gave a soft chuckle and nodded, then took a step towards the young blonde girl before him. She looked pretty beat up. A large gash was across her forhead, deep crimson blood trickled along her brow, and she was bruised beyong belief.

"Yes. Sirius. What, may I ask, is your name?" Buffy hesitated, and gave a lingering sigh. "Buffy Summers. You don't seem like the evil type to me." She said observing Sirius carefully. He raised an eyebrow.

"And why not? Maybe I am evil." Buffy shook her head defiantly. "Nope. If you were evil I would have sensed it. So... Sirius. Where are we?"

Buffy gave a quick look around the grand expanse of purples and grey. It seemed so ... empty. Lifeless. Sirius followed her gaze around the dreadful world he had been forced to live in for the past three years. To him, it seemed like months, not years, but he would not tell this new girl that yet.

She was the only person to have entered the Land behind The Veil since Sirius had arrived, and he wasn't about to scare her off by telling her that he was an escaped convict charged with murder. It suddenly dawned on him, that this girl, Buffy, had not recognized him or flinched at his name.

Buffy turned her gaze back onto Sirius, who looked deep in thought. He looked like he was almost brooding. Angel would be very impressed.

"So..." She started shrugging. Sirius put one hand behind his back and clasped the other with it. "So, Miss Summers, you have entered The Realm Behind the Veil. That's what I call it at least. I don't think it has a proper name. Your the first person I've seen in months. Actually, the only person."

A small frown tugged at Buffy's lips and she tilted her head the side, causing cascades of blonde locks to tumble over her shoulders.

"The Veil? What viel? I came here through a big whole of swirly light... not a viel."

Sirius' expression of confusion soon matched Buffy's. They both looked at eachother for a moment before Sirius broke the uncomfortable silence that swept over them.

"You mean, you didn't come from the dais? In The Ministry?"

Buffy quirked an eyebrow at this new man and shook her head dumbly. "Come from the what in the where?"

Sirius swallowed and put a hand beneath his chin, beginning to pace along the murky grey swamp-like earth beneath them. "The Ministry? Of Magic?"

"Are British people always so cryptic and confusing? I mean, my old Watcher was British and he was really confusing. He always used big words like 'frivelous' and 'pompous' but ... hey, wait! There's a ministry of magic?" She asked, as if hearing his words for the first time.

Sirius nodded, forcing back his smile at her babbling. Watcher. Watcher... it rang somewhere. He knew of it. "Your Watcher?" He questioned reluctantly. Buffy's eyes grew wide.

"Oops. Uh.. I meant... Catcher. Not Watcher. No not catcher. Batcher? Wait no..." Sirius looked apprehensive.

"You are she, are you not?"

"She who? She me? Usually I'm a she. I mean I am a she..." Buffy babbled trying to cover up her stupid mistake but it didn't seem to be working. Buffy noticed that also and took a deep breath. Sirius finally came to understand and took a step closer, causing the blonde girl to step back.

"Your her. Your the Slayer." He looked fascinated, his eyes swept over her in awe, his mouth open but Sirius said nothing.

"Technically, **a** Slayer." Buffy looked at the swampy ground once again, biting her bottom lip. How did this man know of Slayers and Watchers?

"But- how?" He choked out in a soft whisper, still in a daze. "The only way that a new Slayer is chosen is if one dies..."

"... another is chosen." Buffy continued for him, looking up into his crystal blue eyes. Sirius' eyes grew even wider and for a moment, Buffy thought they might pop out of socket. Stuttering, Sirius finally understood.

Buffy gave an innocent sheepish look that resembled one of a young child. "It was only for a minute..."

Sirius gulped and took another step forward, but this time, Buffy did not retreat. She stood still, waiting for him to say something. Sirius opened his mouth but quickly closed it, and then opened it again.

"Do I need to throw you back into the water Mr.Guppie?" She asked sweetly in a girlish tone that went well with her innocent face. Sirius quickly realized he resembled that of a fish out of water.

"Yes indeed. I'm sorry. It's just... I knew they were real, studied them and all that rubbish, but I never thought- I never imagined I'd meet one. So... powerful."

Buffy sighed irritabley and shook her head. "You people are all the-- wait. Did you say 'studied'? As in with books and pens and notes and pictures and stuff?"

Suddenly, Buffy became highly intrigued in what Sirius Black had to say. She took a seat down on the misty ground, Sirius following her example and sitting indian style across from her.

"Studying. Yes. I attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a long while back." At Buffy's blank expression he pursed his lips together. Buffy blinked and just stared back at him.

"There's a school for magic? Oh if only Willow knew. She'd go crazy!"

Buffy suddenly became washed up in her memories. She remember when Willow had first started learning witchcraft. Simple spells like levitating pencils, feathers, silly things like that. Willow always had been big with the magicks after that.

_Flashback_

_Buffy paced the room nervously, deep in thought. Giles stood before her holding a small pile of papers, scanning them over carefully. Willow stood beside Buffy with her hands together behind her back looking very sheepish._

_Giles came to a realization. "Um, well, this, um..." He seemed lost for words. "...certainly points the way, but...the ritual itself requires a greater knowledge of the black arts thatn I, I, I can claim."_

_Willow took a step closer and knew she was about to get her head bitten off. "Well, I've been going through her files and, and researching the black arts for fun, or educational fun..." She corrected at Giles' look of disapproval. "...and I may be able to work this."_

_Giles shook his head becoming very concerned. It burned in his eyes. "W-Willow...channeling...such potent magicks through yourself could open a door that you may not be able to close."_

_Buffy, coming out of her daze, looked up. All she could think about was getting Angel back and how this could be the way to do it. She knew Giles was having an awful time with the death of Jenny Calendar, but Buffy also knew that if she could save Angel, she would try._

_"I don't want you putting yourself in any danger, Will." Buffy said slowly looking at her red headed friend._

_Willow looked apprehensive and held up her hands and shook her head. "And I don't want danger. Big 'no' to danger, but I may be the best person to do this."_

_End Flashback_

Sirius was calling her name. "Buffy. Buffy!" She shook her head and came back from her memories. Sirius raised a dark eyebrow. "You alright then?"

"Huh?" Buffy asked, not quite back yet. She then nodded her head quickly. "Yeah, fine, sorry."

"You were mumbling about dangers and rituals. Are you sure your alright?" Sirius had a strong English accent that reminded Buffy imensley of Giles and she smiled at the thought of the man who had treated her as a daughter.

"Fine. I am, really." Sirius, still not completley convinced, nodded reluctantly and slid back on the ground where he was before.

"Anyway. Hogwarts. Yes uh, very grand school, I must say. One of the best. My godson, Harry, would have just graduated last year. But ... he thinks I'm dead. They all think I'm dead." His eyes suddenly focused on the shimmering lavender past Buffy's shoulder, and a deep saddened look crossed his eyes.

Buffy took a few moments to contemplate what this meant. "D- Does this mean that, that my friends? And people back home...that they think.." Her words wouldn't come out. They choked her throat with a threatening sob that Buffy refused to release. "..that I'm dead?"

Sirius, slowly nodded. "Most likely. No sense in denying it. How did you get here?"

Thinking Buffy gave a low, heartless chuckle and stared at the grey below her. She closed her eyes tightly.

_Flashback_

_Buffy swung the large troll hammer at Glory, who had blood trickling down her nose. "Stop it!" She yelled, staggering back from the previous hit. _

_Raising the troll hammer again, Buffy smirked. "Your a god. Make it stop."_

__

_Dawn stared at Buffy and shook her head. Buffy looked at her sister incredulously, holding Dawn by her upper arms. "Go!"_

_Dawn shook her head and looked beyond Buffy at something much bigger. _

_"Buffy, it's started." Slowly, Buffy turned. Sure enough, a small portal of flashing lights was erupting, growing larger._

__

_With eyes full of tears, Dawn stared Buffy straight on. Her voice thick with truth. "You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood." _

_Buffy looked down at her sister's stomach where the small slash was, the dark liquid seeping through the dress gown Glory had made her wear._

__

_Spike looked at Buffy and the rest of the group like they were stupid, then rolled his eyes. "Cause it's always got to be blood."_

__

_Dawn stared at Buffy with wide eyes, in understanding, Buffy turned and looked at Dawn, smiling softly. A look of peace on her soft milky face._

_"Buffy... no!" She shouted._

_"Dawnie, I have to." Dawn shook her head angrily._

_"No!"_

_Buffy shook her sister lightly and calmed her. "Listen to me, please. There's not alot of time, listen..."_

__

_And with a swan dive, she swam into the ocean of lightening and horror, the portal that filled the sky. This was it. This was what she was meant to do._

_End Flashback_

Buffy looked up at Sirius, with his long black hair and felt hot tears burn her eyelids. She struggled to fight them off, refusing to let them fall, but failed, allowing one solitary tear to trail her cheek.


	3. Life Goes On

**A/N: **Chapter 3 now up. Thanks for the reviews! Yay! Lol. Okay, so this one is gonna be from SunnyDale for the most part, then skip over to the wizarding world etc....And remember, everything after Buffy jumping into the portal, I'm going AU with. So that whole thing with Willow going to see Angel... I'm rewriting it my way lol....

**Chapter 3 : Life Goes On**

_In SunnyDale, California_

Dawn Summers began walking the halls of her highschool, carrying books and papers under her left arm. A girl, about sixteen was walking with her. Dawn had a solemn expression on her face, staring straight ahead.

"How are you? Honestly..." The girl started. Dawn didn't even blink, nor look to the girl.

"Fine." Dawn knew it was a lie. She knew that Janice, her friend, would pick up on that sooner or later. The funeral was the next day and Dawn really didn't want anything to do with it. She had let Giles and Willow do all the planning. Janice had tried to get Dawn to speak to her, to open up, but it didn't work. All she could do was be the best friend she was.

"I have to go." Dawn began to turn the dial on the locker that she now stood in front of, Janice next to her with concern etching her features.

"Alright. Um... see ya tomorrow?" Janice asked hopefully. Dawn began to load books into her baby blue backpack, still not having looked at Janice once.

"No. The funeral's tomorrow." Her voice was so hollow and dank.

"Oh, well, It's at seven right? I'll stop by."

With that, Janice patted Dawn's shoulder and headed outside the school. Dawn glanced at the retreating back of her long time best friend, and then hitched her bag over her shoulder, turning toward the open doors.

When she got outside, Dawn saw Xander driving the 'Mom-mobile' to pick her up. He honked and tried to smile, but it forced. Dawn tossed her bag in the backseat and buckled her seatbelt, and slammed the car door closed.

"Hey Dawnster! How was school?" Xander, not one for silence, tried to make some sort of conversation to work with. Dawn stared blankly at the road as Xander drove down the street.

"Fine."

Xander sighed, knowing it was hard to get Dawn to speak in 'full' sentences these days. She, of all people, was taking Buffy's death harder than ever.

"Where's Willow?" She asked softly. Xander turned down the radio, even though he could barley hear anything coming from it.

"Huh?"

"She was supposed to pick me up today."

"Oh." Xander thought then licked his lips absently, turning left onto Revello Drive. "She went to L.A."

"Why?" Dawn scrunched her face up oddly.

"To tell Angel."

Dawn said nothing more, just nodded. She understood. When they pulled into the driveway, Dawn and Xander hopped out of the car and headed up towards the house. Once they entered, Dawn dropped her backpack on the floor by the coat closet and walked into the kitchen, Xander closely following.

_Los Angeles, California_

Willow chewed on her bottom lip as she stared up at the large hotel before her. It looked old, yet elegant and she noticed that it kind of suited Angel. In the back of her mind, the red-headed Wicca knew she would have to go in sooner than later. It had to be sooner, of course, considering a tall black man about her age just walked up to her.

"Hey Red!" He called out, stalking towards her with his hands in the pockets of his denim jeans. He had on a grey hooded sweatshirt and was bald. "Need some help?"

Willows' green eyes grew wide and she shook her head frantically. "Uh.. No. Well, yes but no. I mean, uh..."

The guy raised an eyebrow smirking a little. "Slower. And in full sentences, please."

She swallowed and nodded, slowly. "I'm here to see A-Angel." Willow smiled to herself, glad she had only stuttered a little bit.

The man gestured towards the door. "Come on in. I'm Gunn, by the way. I work with Angel."

Willow cautiously began to follow the built man inside, not really listening to him. "Right. I'm Willow. Rosenburg, yes. Willow Rosenburg."

Gunn, as he said his name was, held open the door for her, which she entered over the threshold.

"Yo! Angel! Get your ass down here! Got a visitor!" Gunn called through a small doorway. Sure enough, Angel came out of some sort of office briskly and groaned.

"Gunn, what is it? I'm bus-" He stopped short at sight of Willow. She smiled nervously at the vampire who looked quite shocked to see her.

"Like I said, visitor." Said Gunn, now walking towards the desks, piled with papers and manilla folders. "Nice to meet ya, Red."

Willow nodded towards Gunn. "Y-You too. Hi Angel."

Angel eyes her carefully. "Willow." He nodded his greeting. "Is something wrong?" Concern suddenly filled his eyes and Willow began to bite her bottom lip again.

"Can we uh, go and talk somewhere?"

The vampire noticed her nervousness and nodded, holding out a hand towards the office he just came from. Together, they walked inside and Angel closed the door behind them. Willow took a seat in the chair in front of the window, shades drawn. Angel leaned against his desk.

"Willow?" He asked desperatley.

Willow took a few moments to think and she slowly stood up from the chair.

"It's Buffy..." Trailing off, she took a few steps to reach the other side of the room, a foot or so away from him.

"What.. what about her?" He asked, trying to keep the worry clear from his voice, his face, but was failing terribly. Willow looked down at the floor and then back into Angel's deep brown orbs, full of two hundred years of torture.

"Angel..." Willow paused and tears built up behind her eyes, but she tried not to let them fall. "She's gone."

Angel frowned and took a step backward, hitting his desk. He shook his head disbelievingly. "Wh-What do you mean 'gone?"

The hot tears began to spill down Willow's rosy cheeks and Angel pulled the girl into a hug. "Angel she's really gone! She saved the world and for what?! She's dead! She's gone..." Willow sobbed in Angel's arms, he himself having trouble holding in his tears. He wouldn't cry in front of Willow.

Angel hadn't cried in front of anyone except for Buffy in a long while. And when he did, it was only a few tears. When Willow had spoken those few words, etched in sobs, 'She's dead!', Angel felt his whole world tumble down, crashing into the waves of Hell.

Over an hour later, Willow erupted from Angels' office, without Angel. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the tears she cried and she was shaking. The redhead closed the door behind her and tried to avert from the gazes of several people in the lobby.

Cordelia stood up immediatley, taking in Willow's condition. She had never really liked the girl, but things had changed. She had changed.The man known as Gunn had also stopped cleaning the axe he was working on to look up at the new addition. Wesley quickly closed the book he had been reading and stood, but did not move, unlike Cordy who rushed to Willow's side. Fred was writing something down, but stopped and frowned.

"Willow! Willow are you okay? What happened? What's wrong?" Cordelia's frantic voice caused Willow to look up at the brunette girl, then around to the others in the room.

"Um, Willow? Where is Angel?" Asked Wesley, his voice thickly coated in a British accent. Willow looked at the door to Angel's office and nodded in that direction.

"In there. You might wanna leave him alone for a while. He needs time." Everyone, including Fred, who had not met this small girl with fiery hair, gave a confused look. Willow sighed and closed her eyes. "I really need to get back to SunnyDale so I'll just say it." She gulped and felt tears rebuilding. Whenever she said the few words she was about to say, it just dawned on her that Buffy was really dead. She wasn't coming back.

"Buff- Buffy is...She's.. dead."

Cordelia gasped and hugged Willow. Wesley moved to the side of the girls' also, leaving Fred and Gunn glancing at eachother clueless. They both shrugged but figured it was someone special, someone that Angel loved dearly.

_Angel's Office_

Sitting in the corner with his knees pulled up against his chest, his head in his hands, Angel wept. It was the first time in a while and he hated it. He felt so distant and obscure.

Thoughts kept plaguing his mind and he couldn't help but blame himself for the death of the girl he loved. Loves. In two hundred and forty something years, Angel had only loved one person, and he let that person go.

_Maybe.. Maybe if I stayed she would still be here. I could have protected her. I could have saved her from ... from death. It isn't fair. She doesn't know how much I love her. How much I want to be with her. God I'm such an idiot. How am I suppose to live? She's.. she's gone. My Buffy is gone._

More tears spilled from beneath his dark lashes as he thought of how much of this was his fault. Angel knew he shouldn't blame himself, but it was one of those things that was super hard not to do.

_Flashback_

_Angel turned and fixed his gaze upon Buffy. She was staring at him intently from the dining room table. She was angry and he knew it. He needed to tell her the truth._

_"Do you love me?" _

_"What?" Buffy's look was incredulous and confused at the same time._

_"Do you?" He prodded gently, waiting for his girlfriend to answer. She took a moment to consider her answer. _

_"I love you. I don't know if I trust you." She seemed satisfyed with her answer. Angel growled slightly and clenched his teeth as he spoke._

_"Maybe you shouldn't do either." He turned away from her and Buffy raised her voice angrily. She felt like he was treating her like a child._

_"Maybe I'm the one who should decide!"_

__

_"We can't know, Buffy. Nobody can. That's just the deal." Nervously, Angel reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small silver ring. "I have something for you. For your birthday. I... I was gonna give it to you earlier, but..." _

_The ring was a heart in the middle, a pair of hands, and a crown on top. He held it so Buffy could see it._

_"It's beautiful." She murmured, staring at the glittering peice of jewelry._

_"My people -- before I was changed -- they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... Well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody. Like this." Angel held out his hand so she could see his own ring, the same as hers._

_She touches his hand, leaned over and kissed the ring on his hand. _

_"Put it on." He insisted gently, sliding the ring onto her slender finger._

_Buffy gave a soft sob, holding Angel's hand. "I don't wanna do this."_

_Angel sighed and rested his forhead against hers. "Me either."_

_"So don't go." And with that, their lips met in an intimate, soft kiss that represented their love, precious, neverending love._

_End Flashback_


	4. Vicissitudo Change

**A/N:** Chapter 4 is gonna be in Hp verse..It's probably not gonna be a very long chapter and I'm very sorry for that lol but I'm just not sure what to write in this one.....any ideas for pairings let me know!!.. and Vicissitudo in Latin means Change.. I used the OotP book as a reference for the Minstry.. except from the Quidditch corridor.. kinda made that up lol let me know if it sucked.

Also, thank you reviewers..

**Lils -** Yes lol I also love Angel to peices. I'm a huge B/A Fan... I have a few songfics for them. And it's sad to see Angel to depressed.

**Dreamer Child** - Thank you so much for the suggestions. After I reread that I realized that it was rater annoying. Also, I'm still not sure about the pairing but I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a Buffy/sirius... I hadn't planned it that way but while I'm writing it out it seems to be taking that way. If you have any other ideas lemme know lol. Just email me at 

**Emba -** Lol thank you. Great review. If you have any pairing suggestions let me know! I was already suggested Buffy/Sirius.. but I'm still not sure... She's only a couple years older than Harry, Draco, Ron.... etc.

**Chapter 4 : Vicissitudo - Change**

_Ministry of Magic, England_

Harry James Potter silently walked through the streets of London, towards what he knew, was The Ministry Of Magic. He had been taken there on several occasions, one of which being his trial for using magic outside of school and in front of a muggle, his cousin Dudley. That was in his fifth year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.

It was early July and Harry would be turning eighteen at the end of the month. He had just graduated from Hogwarts and was going to be training for Professional Quidditch. Puddlemere United. A friend from school, Oliver Wood, was already on the team as the Keeper. He had gotten Harry to show up at try-outs for the new seeker, which of course, Harry was delighted to do.

After getting the position, Harry went out and bought a new broom, the Lightening Bolt 2005. It was a grand broom that he had just fell in love with the moment he laid eyes on it.

The captain, Tai Leing, had sent Harry his team uniform the other day. Glancing at his watch, Harry realized it was only two in the afternoon, noting to himself that at five thirty he was to meet Ron and Hermoine for dinner at The Three Broomsticks.

Harry ran a hand through his shaggy black hair, causing it to muss more. He didn't care. It wouldn't stay down anyway. His emerald eyes gazed around and then entered an old telephone booth, closing the door.

He lifted the receiver and put it to his ear, then dialed six-two-four-four-two and a cool feminine voice came through loud and clear, not from the reciever but from the telephone box itself.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

Harry sighed and thought a moment. "Harry Potter, here to see Captain Tai Leing for the Puddlemere United Quidditch team."

The voice came again smoothly. "Thank you. Visitor please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."

Harry's badge slid from the metal shoot and he pinned it to the front of his long black robes. Suddenly, the floor to the telephone booth gave a little shudder and began to sink underground. Concrete rose up past Harry and before long, darkness surrounded him. After about a minute or so, a small thud came and small streaks of golden light began to appear.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day." Said the voice again. The door opened and Harry stepped out into the Ministry. Harry began to make his way down the long, bright corridors. The floors were dark wood and the ceiling a bright blue, the notices changing every few seconds.

Harry remember coming here in his fifth year with Mr.Weasley for that stupid trial. He scoffed at the thought. As Harry looked to his left, a small wizard emerged from the fireplace and Harry chuckled. He remembered how odd he thought it was when he had first seen it three years ago.

He passed the fountain surrounded by statues, full of sickles and knuts that people had thrown in for St.Mungo's. Harry found his way to the end of the hall and entered the lift. He listened to the woman speak. There was a short woman standing next to him with a nervous smile on her face.

"Ello there! I'm Mitsy Critterson. I'm uh, here for my apparation test? Have ya had yours?" Her voice was meek and small, just like her height.

Harry, being the friendly person he was... most of the time, smiled back. "Actually, yeah. Few years ago. It's not too hard, trust me. I'm Harry Potter."

The girls' eyes grew wide at the name. They flickered up to his forhead where sure enough, there was a scar, and then back to his eyes. "Oh my goodness! Y-Your him! My mother told me about you! She said that you stopped You-Know-Who!"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Harry nodded. "I did, but it's no big deal. He's gone now."

Harry sighed, remembering his fight against Voldemort in his seventh year at Hogwarts, and finally defeating him with the help of Ron and Hermoine, of course, and many other people.

The girl was about to say something more when the voice of the announcer spoke again.

"Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club, and Ludicrous Patents Office."

Harry held up his right hand and gave a little wave, smiling in relief. "Sorry, my stop. Gotta go." He stepped out of the lift and could hear the tiny girls gasp from behind him.

Rolling his eyes, Harry headed down the corridor. Posters of the Quidditch teams were tacked up along the walls and people scurried about, some with brooms, others with papers and pens.

Stopping in front of a large door with the name 'Puddlemere United Headquarters' on the front plaque, Harry knocked. When he didn't hear a response, he slowly pushed open the door.

To his surprise, Oliver Wood sat at a long wooden table with a dark haired girl sitting across from him. She reminded him of Cho Chang a little. Her long black locks fell to her shoulders and she had a pure crystal blue tint to her eyes. She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

Oliver smiled a dazzling smile. Oliver Wood always was quite handsome. His brown hair was flat, unlike Harry's, and he had the most penetrating eyes. In school, the girls were all over him, not only because of his good looks, but he was Captain of the quidditch team and a great Keeper.

Oliver stood up and held a hand out to Harry, which Harry took and shook. "Welcome Harry! Didn't know if you were comin' or not." A thick Scottish accent framed his velvety voice.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that."

The pretty woman cleared her throat and gave a soft smile. "You must be Harry, then. Potter? If I'm correct. I'm Tai Leing. Captain of Puddlemere United, Chaser."

She extended a hand to Harry which he took, surprised at her firm grip. She smirked at his expression and pulled back. "The rest of the team should be here shortly, so you could just take a seat if you'd like."

"Thanks." Harry sat down next to Oliver and they began to chat amongst themselves about the past months. Tai also started in on the discussion but was disrupted when four more people entered the room and hurridley took seats around the table.

"Your all late, you do realize this right?" Asked Tai rhetorically.

A dark skinned girl with black braided hair gasped for breath. "We ran for it Tai! Honestly! We got stuck in a group of muggles who thought the tefelone booth thing was a real phone!"

Harry coughed a little. "Telephone."

The dark girl looked up, as if recognizing Harry for the first time and broke out into a grin. "Harry! Long time no see, mate! How ya been?"

"Good, Angelina. You?"

"Grand!" She smiled sweetly and turned back to Tai who was glaring daggers at her.

Angelina Johnson had been the Captain of Hogwarts' Gryffindor quidditch team in her seventh year. She was very good, but she and Harry had never kept in touch.

"Well, not that we're all here..." Tai started, staring pointedly at Angelina. "I would like to introduce our new Seeker. Harry Potter."

Everyone gave claps and cheers, shaking hands. Harry even knew some of the people on the team, besides Oliver, Tai, and Angelina. Marcus Flint was on the team as a Beater. He and Harry never really got on well, considering Marcus was Slytherin Captain.

Tai calculated a smile and walked to the corner of the room and lifted a beautiful Firebolt into her hands. "Shall we go practice then?"

Harry stood on the Quidditch Pitch with his new team members. They were going over strategies and passes. Soon, Tai dragged out a large trunk lined with leather and locked. She smiled at the team before she undid the bolts.

When she opened it, strapped in were several different sized balls. The Bludger, looked quite leathery, a great contrast to the snitch, a small golden bird-like ball. Fluttering wings and shimmering metal.

First, Tai nodded in direction of the goals. "Take your places. Be ready when I let the Bludger out. We'll play three on three... I won't play yet. I'll watch and correct, alright?"

They all nodded and murmured in agreement. Tai looked over her team. "Wood, Potter, and Flint... versus Johnson, Roarke, and Milton. On three..." Her hands reached for the leather strap across the Bludger and carefully, she unbelted it and struggled to keep it in her arms.

"One..." She staggered back. "Two...." The Bludger continued to fight against it's captor. "Three!" At that moment, Tai's arms flew forward and the Bludger out of her hands, into the air towards Oliver.

She then released the other Bludger and then the Quaffle. Last but not least, she set out the snitch. It fluttered around like a butterfly in the golden July sun.

Harry ducked as the Quaffle came at him. Marcus Flint sneered and moved away from Harry, lifting his club to swing at an incoming Bludger. He hit it successfully and it passed right through a goal that Angelina was guarding.

Tai gave a small clap and stood on the end of her broom, floating just high enough to watch closley. "Harry! Go for the Snitch!" She shouted, putting her hands around her mouth to echo.

Harry smiled and lunged on his broom for the golden ball flying like a butterfly, just below Oliver's goal. This year was definatley going to be interesting.

_The World Beyond The Veil_

Sirius couldn't help but become overwhelmed as he heard this small girl's story. She spoke of Apocolypses and demons. She had died and was revived. She bedded a vampire! That part she left quite vague, but Sirius Black put two and two together... Sirius had long gone into his life story.

He spoke of The Mauraders, and as he spoke, he almost felt like he was reliving it. Buffy seemed so interested in everything he had to say.

"So is this Voldie guy dead?"

Sirius frowned. "I can't be sure. He was very powerful when I was killed, by one of his 'minions'. Bellatrix. Well - cursed. But.. fell back into the veil. Anyhow, I can't be sure of anything from wherever we are. It's been three years. Harry may be..."

He couldn't get the words out. Sirius knew Harry was still alive. He **had** to be.

"And uh.. You didn't kill Peter right?" Buffy asked skeptically and Sirius shook his head.

"No. I was framed for the murder" He cringed at the thought of Peter escaping and he, Sirius, getting put into Azkaban for fourteen lonesome, dreadful years.

"That's wrong. I promise, when we get out of here, I will help you and your godson." Buffy smiled and Sirius shook his head gratefully.

"No. I couldn't let you. You have too much to handle, and I highly doubt we'll get out of here."

Buffy frowned and pushed herself up off the murky grey floor. She stood and looked around. She began to walk towards the purple mists, trying to walk through, but it kept holding her back. Sirius also stood to his feet and sighed in a frustrated manner. "It's not going to help, Buffy! I've been here for three years and I've tried everything."

She didn't believe him and continued to pound against the misty walls. "No. There's always a way. I learned that a long time ago. There's always a way around it. Always."

Buffy turned to look at Sirius and narrowed her eyes. "Have you tried to contact Harry? At all?'

Rolling his crystal eyes, Sirius shrugged. "I don't have an owl with me."

Buffy scrunched up her brow in confusion. "What does an owl have to do with anything?"

Sirius was becoming a little more annoyed, trying to explain to this petite blonde girl the customs and rules of the Wizarding World. "Owls. That's how we deliver letters. Our mail."

Hazel gems grew large and Buffy grinned. "Really?! How come all we get is a post man." She frowned. "So unfair. And we have to do the dishes by hand! That's just not right."

Buffy was so interested in hearing about the wonders of the wizarding world that she couldn't wait until they got out of this dimension and back to her own. She would pick up Willow and the gang and they would visit Sirius! Although, Sirius highly doubted that the two of them would get ouf of this mess they were stuck in.

**Chapter 5 - **The Funeral ... Harry's dinner with Ron & Hermoine...


	5. Beautiful Damnation

**A/N : **This chapter is Buffy's Funeral. Sorry but we won't see any more of Buffy and Sirius until Chapter 6.... I have to add this one lol...Tara and Willow are still together and Tara is better. Xander is with Anya...

**Chapter 5 : Beautiful Damnation**

_SunnyDale, California_

"Dawnie! Are you almost ready?" A female voice called from the other side of Dawn's bedroom door. The brunette teen stood in front of her mirror, absently smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her khaki skirt. She was contemplating going with black, but Dawn knew that Buffy would want her to at least try and be happy.

Therefore, she chose a khaki skirt that reached just above her knees and a white blouse. Her hair was straightened and her face solemn. The funeral was going to be held at night so Angel and Spike could attend it without bursting into flames. That wouldn't be too good for the rest of the world that needed their saving.

Dawn sighed. "Yes." She put on a pair of strappy black shoes and opened the door to find Willow giving her a sympathetic look, holding out her hand. Dawn took it and let Willow lead her downstairs.

Willow wore a pair of black dress pants and a white quarter-sleeve button up shirt. Dawn knew that Willow was also in pain from loosing her best friend, but that Willow was trying to be strong for her.

"Willow you don't have to pretend."

Abruptly, the redheaded Wicca stopped at the last step and turned to look at Dawn. "Yes I do."

Without any more words, they began to walk down toward the cemetary where the funeral was being held. The sky was beginning to fade into a dark hazy blue. The pale moon gave a soft glow over the graves of Joyce and Buffy Summers. Although Buffy's body wasn't found, Giles and Willow thought it best to honor her with a funeral.

Standing beside the dug grave was Rupert Giles, staring down at the dirt with pain relevent in his eyes. Xander stood back a ways, holding hands with his beloved Anya. She too had a heart-wrenching look appear on her face when she caught Dawn's eye. The Reverand stood with a book closed, beneath his right arm and Spike stood under the large Oak tree.

Willow was immediatley pulled to Tara's side, and Dawn into Giles' arms to hug her. More people began to arrive, including Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley. After several minutes, the Reverand began to speak his words of grace and beauty. Dawn heard the same words she had heard at her mother's funeral and it was painful.

"Earth to Earth. Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust..."

Soon, the coffin was covered with earth and people gave their sympathies and began to leave. The only ones left were Willow and Tara, who were crying and hugging Giles. Spike had left back to his crypt, probably to weep some more. Anya and Xander had also taken off. Janice stopped by and gave her wishes, then left, telling Dawn she would see her in school.. sometime.

"Angel? We're going back to the car, you coming?" Asked Cordelia softly, knowing that her friend was having trouble dealing with this. His deep chocolate eyes looked up at the brunette and he had a faint smile on his face.

"You go. I'll be there in a minute." Cordelia nodded and led Wesley back to the streets. Angel, with his hands tucked safely into his black duster, walked to where Dawn stood.

She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tippy-toes to reach him. Angel enveloped her in his arms, hugging the young girl.

"I'm sorry." He said softly. Angel could feel Dawn's tears against his red silk shirt, seeping to his cold skin.

"Angel..." She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes red and puffy.

He shook his head telling her not to speak. "I know it's hard, but we all have to move on. Not forget, just ... find a special place for her. In our hearts."

"Yours doesn't even beat!" Dawn snapped, and put a hand over her mouth immediatley, wishing she could take them back. Angel looked down and closed his eyes.

"Angel, I'm sorry. It's.. It's just..." Dawn paused and found a lump appear in her throat, making it hard to form any sort of a sentence. "My sister is dead and their covering her with dirt!"

Angel sighed and pulled Dawn into another tight hug. Soon enough he pulled back and tilted his head. "I have to get going. Back to L.A. Take care of yourself."

Dawn watched his retreating back move to hug Willow and then he headed towards the gate of the cemetary.

_Hogsmeade_

Hermoine and Ron sat in the Three Broomsticks in the corner, glancing at the entrance every few minutes to see if Harry was there yet. Still, no sign.

"Where do you think he is? Do you think something's happened to him?" Concern suddenly etched across Hermoine's pretty features. Ron rolled his eyes and than shook his head of shaggy red hair, fierce as fire.

"'Moine, if anything happened to him, we would know. Don't worry. He's probably just .. stuck in a meeting."

Hermoine looked very doubtful and knit her eyebrows together in confusion. Ron took notice of this and leaned closer to her to capture the girl's attention.

"Hermoine! He would have let us know if he couldn't - " Before Ron Weasley could speak any more, Hermoine jumped up from her seat and sighed with relief.

"Harry! There you are! We were starting to get worried!"

Harry walked over to his friends seeing them sitting over at a table and shrugged. Ron gave a pointed look at Hermoine Granger. "We?"

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I was worried. What happened?"

Harry took a seat next to Ron and glanced from one friend to the other, pushing his circular glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. Quidditch practice took a bit longer than I had expected. No need to worry 'Moine, I woulda let you know if I couldn't have come."

Ron smiled, very satisfied and Hermoine gave him a death glare. "Don't start with that rubbish, Ronald Weasley. I'm not in the mood for it."

Ron's smile faltered and tugged his lips into a frown. "Why? What's up your arse?"

"Don't curse Ron!" Hermoine spat, taking her seat again. She gave a thoughtful look and then turned, sharing glances with Harry and then Ron. "Fine. I don't think the Ministry will be hiring me."

Harry's green eyes grew large and Ron looked at his friend incredulously. "Are you crazy!? Why not?! Your a bloody genius!"

"Don't. Curse!" She scolded slowly and then folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair. "Well, I don't think I passed all those wretched tests."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Were that honestly that hard? I mean, McGonagall told me that the Auror tests were difficult, but passable. Surely, you passed."

Ron nodded in agreement. "That's right, mate. C'mon Hermoine, your gonna be one of the wickedest Aurors out there..."

Hermoine smiled at Ron and Harry's encouragement. "Thanks. So, Ron... How was your meeting? Did you decide to apply for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts job? Or the Dragon Researcher?"

All attention turned on Ron and he gave a half smile. "Actually, neither." At Harry and Hermoine's confused looks, Ron continued, his calculating smile growing. "I got a job working in the Floo Department. Ya know? I get to help regulate fireplaces and things."

Hermoine patted Ron's shoulder happily and Harry congratulated him. "Good job, Ron. Yeah, I got Seeker on Puddlemere. Did ya know Angelina's on the team? The Captain seems nice. Very uh.. what's the word? She's rather pushy, if I might say so myself."

The three friends laughed and chatted for about another hour before heading back to their own homes. Harry was staying at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. When he got there, he went straight up to bed, exhausted from his practice earlier.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell straight asleep.

_Harry was walking through the streets of a town he had never seen before. It was a muggle town from the looks of it and it had an eerie feeling about it. He could hear noises, yells and screams from a distance. Not being one to leave someone in trouble, Harry began to sprint towards the location._

_When he found the cause of the noise, Harry found himself staring up at a very tall tower that looked unstable and not very sturdy. He began to walk through the rows of concrete blocks and poles when he saw a woman with strawberry blonde hair stagger back, holding a hand to her nose. Blood spluttered from beneath her hand._

_Another girl, pale blonde with eyes of much pain and death, held a large hammer above her head and swung towards the bloodied woman._

_Harry could hear screams from up above, coming from the tower. Intrigued, Harry began to climb upwards. The screams were clearer now and he could hear someone shouting 'Buffy!'._

_As he reached the peak of the tower, he stood up and dusted himself off. He saw a girl, two, maybe three years younger than him tied to the ends of the tower poles. She had blood dripping from her stomach, seeping from the bottom of the platform. A small, old man with a sharp knife in his hand was cutting her, grinning._

_Harry lunged at the man and was about to make contact ....._

Harry shot up with a startled expression, a cold sweat covering his body. Who was this girl? Who was the man? What was going on? So many questions shot through his mind and he found that he couldn't sleep the rest of the night.

Who were these people plagueing his dreams?... or nightmares?


	6. The Girl In My Dreams

**A/N : **Okay! Yay! Many reviews. I'm going to try and update as much as I can for the next few days, due to the fact that I'm going off to Kansas to see my brother and be there for when his wife gives birth to a baby boy. Caleb.... weird,... Caleb Wesley.. even weirder! Oh well its growing on me. Anyway, I PROMISE that when I return, one week from Friday I will update like.. three whole chapters! Okay? Okay.

Harry, just so ya'll know, to make this clear, he's much older than Dawn. Like a few years... which isn't that much, but he's only a year or two younger than Buffy. And I'm still thinkin bout the whol Buffy/Harry fic Sorry, but I've read so many fics where the two are related that it just seems incensed if I wrote it lol. But I'm still thinking about it... Any other pairing suggestions?

**CPAnthoni -** Lol your correct. I'm sorry for that confusion.. that was my fault. Thanks for correcting me. Lol I just wasn't thinking. I'll fix that. Thanks again for the review and correction!

**Emba **- Don't worry. No Harry/Dawn. Sorry can't stand em'... lol... I never really liked Dawn anyhow. She whines too much.

**Chapter 6 : The Girl In My Dreams**

_The Leaky Cauldron_

Early the next morning, Harry sat still in his bed, frowning. He was trying to recall any signs of where he was in his 'dream'. From Harry's experience, he knew the difference between a dream and a vision, and this was definitely a vision. Harry quickly showered and dressed into his robes.

Ron was waiting down in the lobby for him when he entered, two bottles of butter beer ready. Harry took his and popped the cap of. "Thanks."

Ron could tell something was going through his friend's troubled thoughts. "What is it Harry? You can tell me."

Without looking at Ron, with his fire-like hair, Harry sat down at the stood and took a sip of butter beer, concentrating immensely on the counter.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Harry sighed and a frown tugged his lips. He pursed them together thoughtfully and looked up at Ron. "I had a dream."

"Reciting that muggle speech?" Ron smirked, thinking of what Hermoine said about Dr. Martin Luther King and reciting some speech of his.

Harry glared and Ron held up his hand in surrender. "Alright, alright already. Just joking, mate! So, what was your dream about?"

"I-I'm not sure. I mean, I saw it happen, but I dunno where or who."

"That helps bunches!" Ron's voice dripped in sarcasm and that just caused Harry to glare some more.

"No. There uh, was a tower. It wasn't very well built." He added, mostly to himself. "And uh, at the bottom were two girls. One had a hammer of some sort and the other was all bloody. The blonde girl, with the hammer... kept hitting the other girl--"

"Bloody hell!" Interrupted Ron, grinning. "Well I mean, not good, but that's wicked!" At Harry's pointed look, Ron cleared his throat. "Sorry. Go on, then."

"Right, well, I heard screams from the top of the tower and began to climb up it. When I got there, there was really creepy old man with bug eyes grinning holding a knife. And at the end of the tower a girl.. a little younger than us, fifteen maybe, was tied there, and she had a slash across her stomach."

When Harry had finished, Ron's eyes were wide and he was rather pale, considering. "Harry, mate, I think you need to tell someone. This kind of thing could be important, ya know what I mean?"

Harry gave some thought but looked apprehensive. "Well... I just don't... I mean, your right but... Hey!" Harry's eyes lightened as an idea came to him. "Can't Hermoine show me how to do one of those spells where all I have to do is think of the person and then I appear where that person is?"

Ron frowned. "You listen too much. I never heard of a spell like that!"

"I remember Lupin talking about it in third year. Actually, Hermoine did, and she brought it up last night! Don't you remember? She said it was on her Auror test."

Shrugging, Ron took a gulp of his butter beer. "I dunno Harry. Isn't that sort of thing kinda dangerous?"

Harry fiddled with his bottle, turning it around in his hands as he thought. "Well, I can't just not do anything!"

Ron bit his lip and sighed. "Well, If your sure. Want me to owl 'Mione?" Harry shook his head and began to chug his butter beer, then turned to Ron, who seemed to sit a good three inches above Harry himself.

"Uh, no. Let's apparate." Harry raised his eyebrow suggestivley and Ron shrugged, standing up. "Why not?"

_Hermione's Home_

Hermoine Granger sat at her four person dining table, sipping pumpkin juice and flipping through the pages of _'How To Become An Auror V:2'_. The flames roared inside the fireplace and the room had a stuffy feel to it. Near the tan loveseat was a bookcase, filled from end to end with books and papers. The room smelled of must and early dew.

A loud 'pop' echoed through the house and Hermoine jumped, looking up from her reading startled, to find Ron Weasley smiled cheekily at her. Suddenly, another 'pop' was sounded and Harry Potter appeared with a desperate look on his face.

Ron grinned. "Sorry for not knocking!"

Hermoine rolled her eyes and walked over to the pair with her hands on her hips. "Your going to give somebody a heart attack if you continue to apparate in unannounced." She said sternly. Harry shrugged and walked further into the room.

"We make a 'pop'... that should let ya know that were coming in." Harry and Ron looked around, examining things. They had only been to Hermoine's once before and she had changed things around since then.

"I like what you've uh.. done with the place, 'Mione. Much more tweed than the pink and green." Ron looked over at the rows of books and began to run his index finger along the spines, reading the labels.

He stopped and grabbed at a large, leatherbound book. Hermoine gave an exasperated yelp and lunged for the book. "Ron! Put it down! That's an incredibley important book!"

Harry gently prodded Hermoine away from Ron and stared at the book while she glared at them with devilish eyes. "What in Heavens name are you two up to?!"

"Harry look!" Ron pointed to the front of the book. An engraving was carved in the leather and read 'Locating Spells'. Harry frowned and then turned to Hermoine.

"'Mione? Could a spell in this book help me find someone I've never met?"

Hermoine looked at Harry with raised eyebrows and a 'duh' look. "Harry, why would you want to look for someone you've never met? That's just... what are you talking about?"

Before Harry could speak, Ron cut him short. "Harry had a dream about a girl. I think he fancies her..."

"I do not! Too young for me."

"Whatever..." Continued Ron, not interested. "Anyway, you think we could find her with one of these spells?"

Hermoine snatched the book from Ron's hands and began to flip through the dusty pages, taking a seat on the sofa while doing so. Harry sat on one side, Ron on the other. "Well?"

"Hold on!" Hermoine grinned and pointed her index finger against a page. "Ah hah!" She commended loudly. "Harry, since your the only one to have seen her, you'll have to do the spell on your own. I'll perform the incantation, and all you have to do is picture exactly what she looked like in your dream..." After a small silence, Hermione bit the inside of her cheek. "Harry? Are you sure it wasn't just that? A dream?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Something important is happening...or happened... or will happen. I know it."

Hermoine gave a defeated sigh and nodded, pulling out her wand. She pointed it to the tip of Harry's temple. "Now concentrate. Exactly what she looked like."

Harry closed his eyes tightly and began to think. Hermoine began muttering some words in Latin, he supposed, and Harry felt a small pull.

_The young brunette stood at the top of the tower, yelling at the blonde with the hammer. A swirling light had begun to open from beneath. Suddenly, Harry's surroundings swirled a bit and he found himself staring at a sign that read 'Now Leaving Sunnydale. Come back soon!'_

Another tug and Harry opened his eyes. Everything was spinning and Hermoine and Ron stood in front of him with worry on their faces. "Harry! Harry are you okay?!" Asked Hermoine immediatley.

"Did it work?!" Interjected Ron excitedly. Harry took a few deep breaths to help stop the room from spinning.

"Anyone know where Sunnydale is?"

Ron shrugged nonchalantly and Hermoine looked down at the ground, squinting her eyes in concentration.

"Yes. Yes, I do believe I've heard of it... I just can't remember--" She stopped and looked up, rushing to the bookcase, yanking a large burgundy book from the second shelf. Harry and Ron exchanged glances as they heard the 'swooshing' noise of pages turning. Hermoine moved back to the sofa and ran her finger beneath the words.

"Yes. Sunnydale, California. It's where the Hellmouth is."

Harry groaned and rolled his eyes while Ron looked utterly dumbfounded. "Why am I the only one who doesn't know what a Hellmouth is?" Asked Ron.

"I don't either, mate..." Countered Harry. "But the words 'Hell' and 'Mouth' qualify for 'bad' in, if I must say so."

Ron nodded. "True. Sorry. What's a Hellmouth?"

Hermoine sighed. "Your lucky I listen. A Hellmouth is just that! The mouth to Hell. And like Harry suggested, it is very bad. It draws many demons and vampires forth. Such as Angelus and William The Bloody! You know? The Scourge of Europe?"

Harry vaguely remembered going over that discussion under the topic of 'vampires' in his last year at Hogwarts. "Right. So um, when do we leave?"

Ron smirked, knowing that Hermoine wasn't about to just let them take off to California. Sure enough, Hermoine looked furious. "Harry! You can't just take off! You do realize California is across the Atlantic right?!"

"I'll study a map of Sunnydale and then apparate there."

Hermoine still looked a bit uncertain and Harry looked at Ron with twinkling eyes. "..And Ron will come with me."

"I will?" Ron asked wide eyed.

"Yes. Ron, and I will go with you. But Harry... what, may I ask, do you plan to do when we get to Sunnydale? Start knocking on people's doors until the girl your looking for is standing on the other side?"

Harry sighed. "I hadn't thought of that. I wish I knew her name."

Ron, not really caring about the girl from Harry's dreams, took a step foward. "When do we leave?"

**Chapter 7** - Buffy and Sirius will appear, but not for very long. Don't worry, more of them to come. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine make a run in with a bleached vampire and the Key...


	7. The Portal & The Neutered Kitten

**A/N:** I'm Back! Yay. Sorry it was so long. I was on vacation. I got to see my new nephew! Kaleb Wessley. Weird name.. I don't like it but he is the cutest thing. Anyhow, I'm back now and ready to write Thanks to the reviews and I got some really good ideas from ya'll....

Oh and I couldn't remember if Anne knew that Gunn was a demon hunter guy, but I think she did. So, in this fic, she does. Lol. For my purposes, please go with it.

**DreamerChild** - It's a dimension that I kind of made up. Sirius doesn't need anything. That's what makes it so bad. It's just blah. Just there. He has nothing to do. Nothing to eat. He doesn't need it. It's like his bodies wants kind of froze... that's probably really confusing... hmm... If it doesn't make sense I can try and make it more uh.. sensable? And thanks for the ideas.. hmm...I'm gonna combine a few...

**Goddessa39** - Thank you! I love B/A together, heh, I have a few B/A songfics but I was thinking that maybe I would do a Buffy/ someone from the Potterverse fic...Just not sure who. It won't be Buffy/Ron.. Sorry. Ick for that. Maybe Buffy/Draco. Dunno yet...But The Anne/Lily and the portal thing gave me an idea.... It won't be exactly how you wanted but I think that the portal gave me a really good idea...lol.

**Emba** - Nope. No Dawn/Harry and thanks for the Ron comment. Lol. I try...and now I'm kind of considering Buffy/Harry or Buffy/Draco. Buffy and Draco are so cute together and I kind of had an idea of how to bring him into the picture... but... I'm still thinking! Which is hard....

**Chapter 7 - The Portal and The Neutered Kitten**

_Los Angeles, California_

Anne, known as 'Lily' to some, sat in her office within the shelter she worked at in L.A. She could hear someone stumbling around outisde the door, probably heading for a snack in the kitchens. She didn't feel like sending them to bed so she just leaned back in her worn black chair and crossed her arms.

Something strange was happening. Isn't it always? She thought blandly. It seemed that the portal she watched over was being a bit fussy latley. Anne couldn't get a clear view of what was going on and it was beginning to worry her. The portal was very important and if something was wrong with it, if someone was fiddling with it's 'strings', so to speak, she would be in trouble.

Anne considered telling Gunn about it, but decided that it was late and he was most likely asleep or killing demons. Closing her mind, Anne tried to clear her thoughts, maybe help her relax a little.

A flash hit her like a bullot speeding through the warm air, making Anne shiver with fear.

_A man sat across from a woman. Not just any woman. Anne had seen this girl before. It was Buffy Summers. Sunnydale's residential Slayer. They were talking, Anne could not tell about what. The man looked familiar also, but Anne couldn't put a name to the face. His dark hair fell beyond his shoulders and his eyes a crystal blue. It wasn't this particular world she had seen him in._

_Anne remembered seeing flyers with his face on them when she took her trip to the Ministry to take Mundungus Fletcher in her care at the shelter to help him with his problems._

_That was Sirius Black. He was still alive! And inside the portal... with the Slayer._

Anne's heart raced and her eyes flung open. She lunged forward towards the desk to reach the black phone, yanking it off of it's cradle and began to dial.

__

_Angel Investigations_

Fred was sitting behind the tall counter, flipping through a manilla folder in front of her. She pushed her thin glasses up on her nose more to see better. She began muttering to herself, and jumped when the loud ringing of the phone echoed through the lobby.

"Jeepers!" She screeched and grabbed the phone beside her and held it between her shoulder and ear. "Angel Investi-- Who?"

"Anne. I need to speak to Gunn." Replied the feminine voice from the other end of the telephone.

"Oh um.. He's not here right --" Fred stopped speaking when the doors to the hotel swung open to reveal Angel, Wesley, and Gunn covered in some sort of blue goo. " - Here he is." She looked at Gunn and motioned him over. "Phone call. For you."

Gunn's dark brow furrowed in confusion. "Who is it?" He asked as he made his way towards the counter. With every step, another sticky squish could be heard.

"Anne?" Said Fred unknowingly as she handed off the phone, then walked out from behind the counter towards Angel and Wesley.

"What happened to you guys?!"

Gunn frowned as he listened as Anne told him about what she had seen in the portal.

"So.. let me get this straight. Blondie is in the portal right now with an evil murderer that does the wicked mojo?"

Anne frowned on the other side of the line. "Kind of. But he didn't seem like he was gonna hurt her or anything. I mean, they were just sitting their talking."

"And you've never noticed either of them before?"

"Well, no. I never really looked into it unless something was bothering me, or I had a feeling. I'm not sure how long either of them have been there. But we need to get him out. Didn't you mention last time you came to visit that your friend had a book of portal opening spells? Or something like that?"

Gunn chuckled and turned his back to Wesley, Fred, and Angel, who were all staring at him, waiting for him to finish his conversation.

"Did is that special word, girl. Kind of disappeared when we hit Pylea. Damn that was a definate bump in the road."

"When did you go to Pylea?! Wait. Nevermind. That isn't important right now. Please Gunn, something weird is going on and I need your help. Can I see you tomorrow?"

"It'll have to be at sunset so I can take fang boy with me. I'll bring Wes too, he's good with books."

Anne smiled and Gunn could almost hear her sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then. Seven?"

"Sounds good. Later." Gunn hung the phone back into it's cradle and turned to his friends.

Angel took a step forward and raised an eyebrow. "Anne? From the shelter?" Gunn just nodded. "What did she want?"

"We're meeting her tomorrow at seven. She needs our help."

Wesley held a towel in his hand, shaking goo from his hair. "With what, may I ask? Has she found a nest of some sort?"

Gunn shook his head. "Member that portal she watches? Well it's got a few new guests."

Angel lay his black, gooey duster on the back on the chair in the lobby and put his hands on his sides, walking forward. "What kind of demons?"

"Not demons." Said Gunn softly. "A Slayer and a Wizard."

"A Wizard?" Wesley asked intrigued, also coming forward. Fred clasped her hands in front of her meekly and gave a sympathetic smile.

"Um.. guys? Isn't this really dangerous?"

Everyone stayed quiet and took a minute to think. Angel was staring at the ground as if it was suddenly interesting and Wesley was moving towards his office to consult his books.

"Angel... man, I know what your thinking. But if we do get them out, we dunno what's gonna happen to them afterwards."

Finally, Angel looked up at his dark skinned friend with a brooding look etched across his features, shoulders slumped a bit. "Gunn, this means she's alive. Doesn't it? We can bring her back. If she's caught in the portal, right?"

"I don't know. But I can't make any promises. I'm not one to keep my word."

_The World Behind The Veil_

Buffy's head shot up from it's gaze towards Sirius. She looked around in a paranoid way. Sirius frowned and tilted his head curiously as to what she was doing.

"Buffy? What are you--" He was cut off in midsentence with her hand out in front of her and a 'Shh!' but she still made no eye contact.

The blonde Slayer stood from the murky ground and began to pace slowly, listening. Hesitantly, Sirius stood also, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Ya ever get that... feeling? That someone's watching you?"

"Uh, no. Not really. Buffy are you sure your okay?" Sirius was beginning to get worried. Was someone else there? Watching them?

"It's gone..." She murmured softly.

"What is?" Sirius asked anxiously. Buffy shook her head and turned so that she faced him, standing a good six feet apart.

"I don't know. But something.. someone was here. If only for a minute. I know it! And... and if there's a way to get in, there's a way to get out."

"Don't be so sure about that, Buffy." Said Sirius, his voice full of condemned doubt.

Buffy sighed exasperatedly. "Sirius, we need to think positive, okay? Okay, so the good guys don't always win and people die and things change... so do prophecies. From my experience, there's always a way around it. There's a way around everything. Which means there's a way out."

Sirius closed his eyes, wishing, if only for a second, that this charming blonde girl was correct.

_Sunnydale, California _

A loud pop echoed through Restfield Cemetary as a figure appeared in the dim moonlight. Soon, two other figures appeared beside the first. Ron turned to look at his two best friends and smiled.

"Ya know, this is the furthest I've ever apparated. I'm glad I didn't get split. Ya know? Like Hickory Lynell did last year. 'Member him? Worked for the Ministry... with Percy?"

Hermoine sighed. "Ron, will you please shut up?" Ron became quiet immediatley, and both Ron and Hermoine turned to look at Harry, who stood still, not speaking.

"You alright mate?" Asked Ron finally, knitting together his eyebrows in a concerned matter. Hermione took a step further into the graveyard.

"Well I for one, don't fancy on strolling through the land of the dead all night. Are you two coming?"

Hesitantly, Ron and Harry both began to follow the bushy haired brunette even further into the graveyard. "Harry, are you sure you don't know where the girl lives? Or her name even?" She muttered briskly, as if she was having second thoughts on coming to Sunnydale in search of this mystery girl.

The three halted and retrieved their wands as they heard approaching voices and shadowed figures coming their way. Quickly, Hermoine ducked behind a large tombstone and beckoned the boys over, which they obediently obliged.

"Come on niblet, we've only bagged one tonight. That's not very many if you can count." Replied a British voice sarcastically.

"Well why did you make me come? Why couldn't you just go off on your own? I'm almost sixteen." The second voice was female and rather young. She was American and sounded rather stubborn.

"Because Red told me to watch you tonight.. and you don't say no to her. That witch'll make you her bloody lap dog..."

"Okay um eww? Anyway, your being super unfair about this. At least Clem let me eat lots of fast food and he doesn't offer me blood."

Suddenly, the two figures came into view. A platinum blonde man with a long, trailing black leather duster, stood facing a teenaged girl. The girl was a good three inches or more shorter than him and wore light jeans and a blue sweater. Her arms were crossed and a resolved look was crossing her face.

The flaxen haired man tilted his head toward the star-filled sky and began to.. sniff?

Hermoine gasped as a hand grabbed her shoulder and another covered her mouth to muffle her scream. The hands pulled back and the three magickal friends looked up to see a smirking..vampire?!

"VAMPIRE!" Shouted Ron in a panic as he made for a run, but the blonde was too quick. He grabbed Ron by the collar and threw him hard to the ground, then jumped back and held a hand to his head in agony.

The teenaged girl stepped into the full edge of moonlight and smiled satisfied. "Guess that'll teach poor wittle spikey wikey not to hit the big bad humans." The girl made a pouty face then turned to the three people to her side. They all looked a few years older than her, maybe Buffy's age.

Harry's eyes grew wide and he swallowed. "Your her..." He choked out. Dawn looked at him baffled.

"Her who?"

"The girl from my dreams." He muttered, almost incoherently. Ron lay sprawled on the cold ground of the cemetary, to scared to move. His eyes didn't retreat from the vampire who seemed to be in pain. His eyes were wide and his face colourless.

The girl laughed a little. "I'll take that as a compliment.. I think?"

Hermoine rolled her eyes and stepped forward, holding out a hand. "Ignore him. I'm Hermoine Granger, and these two idiots are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. This may sound a bit odd to you, but Harry had a dream about you. He said it was important."

"Bloody hell!!" Shouted the blonde vampire, still holding his head, then looked up as the pain began to fade. Hermione eyed him warily.

"Will he.. umm.. bite us?"

The brunette girl laughed even harder, as if she was going to fall over any second. "H-him?! Spike?!" More giggles before she finally composed herself enough to speak. "He's like a.. a neutered kitten. A toy without batteries...a chipped vampire! He can't hurt anyone or anything...By the way, I'm Dawn Summers. That's uh.. Spike."

"I'm bad! Really bad, ducks! I'm the baddest as they come so you three better watch your little arses or else I might have to break a few bones, do some permanent damage!"

"You??? ..BAD?!" Dawn started to laugh again which caused Spike to growl.

Ron slowly pushed himself to his feet, still taking a few steps back so that he was behind Hermoine. Harry moved forward and held out his hand to Dawn, who shook it.

"So.. I hear you dream about me?" She smirked.

**Chapter 8 - ** The spell to open up the veil and retrieve what hides behind it. Harry tells Dawn about his dream....


	8. Save Me, Handsome Prince

**A/N : **Yay! Chapter 8 is now up. Took me forever to finish, considering i'm working on Glorious Madness also which has been beggin to be updated. Thanks for my yummy reviews.

Keep reviewing!

**Chapter 8 : Save Me, Handsome Prince**

_Los Angeles_

Anne led the group of demon hunters into her office and held out her arms. "This is it. You have to stand right over here..." She trailed off as she motioned Angel and Wesley over towards the desk more.

"And the spell will open up the gates?" Asked Gunn hesitantly.

Wesley nodded and pushed his glasses up on his nose more. "Well, yes. I do believe that if the spell is performed correctly that the doors to the Veil will open and Buffy and.. Sirius?" He looked to Anne, who just nodded. ".. Sirius, shall be able to come back here through the portal."

Angel began to unroll the small script he had in his hands. "The Book of Portals was gone so we had to resort to research. Wesley found a spell that he thinks will open it. If it doesn't, we'll keep trying until we fix it."

Wesley nodded meekly. "Everybody, please take a step back?"

Everybody obliged and the only two near the portal entrace were Wesley and Angel. Wesley took the scroll and began to read aloud the Latin words written in chicken scratches. There was a gust of wind that cause a few of the group to stumble back. Wesley held up a hand to shield his eyes from the bright slashes of light that appeared. A soft purple and white began to swirl, growing larger by the second.

_The World Behind The Veil_

Sirius watched as the blonde slayer reached out into the murky air for a door, a window... anything that would lead them out.

That's when he saw it. It started small but it grew immensley. A mix of purple and white lights swivelled around in an orb, growing larger.

"Buffy! Buffy!" In a swift movement, the slayer turned in expectation of danger, but saw only Sirius and a tiny portal. The portal began to get large... large enough to fit through. Buffy looked at Sirius with a resolve look plastered across her face.

"Buffy that's not safe. We don't know where it leads too!"

"It's better than here, isn't it?"

Sirius frowned but before he could say anything else, Buffy had lunged herself into the portal. With a groan, Sirius contemplated his choices. 'Stay here for the rest of eternity... or ...follow Buffy and probably get myself killed.'

Hesitantly, Sirius Black jumped into the portal after Buffy. Soon enough he saw blackness. He felt it enclose around him and he felt trapped. A small silhouetted figure appeared in front of him. It was delicatley framed with long hair, which he recognized as Buffy's as he took a few steps closer.

"Buffy? Where are..."

Once again, the escaped convict was cut off as Buffy held a hand over his mouth. Fighting the urge to ask her what the hell she was doing, Sirius obeyed, being quiet as possible.

In a sudden flash, the slayer had attacked something...

Her opponent was relativley large, considering the shadow it created. Sirius took a few steps back, not sure if he should step in or not. There wasn't much he could do without his wand so he decided against it. Buffy was the slayer. She could handle herself. Right?

There was a yelp and the sound of flesh hitting stone. "Buffy?" Whispered Sirius, looking in the darkness for his new 'friend.'

"Sirius get back!" She yelled so quickly it had frightened him. He jumped back and felt his back hit cool stone. Walls. This was something he missed. He missed the light too...

A loud grunt was heard, then a few more hits and kicks could be made out from the shadows.

Buffy's figure moved towards Sirius, who stood stiffly against the wall. She nodded for him to follow her. "What .. what was that?"

She shrugged. "A demon." She said it as if it was an everyday thing, which for her, it probably was. Sirius followed, watching carefully his surroundings, afraid they might run into another demon or even worse...

Buffy stopped dead in her tracks as another portal began to open. This time it was a deep red. Like blood.

She wasn't sure what she was doing when she stepped into the portal, leading to who knows where. Sirius followed, scared. He still followed.

_Sunnydale_

Harry fidgeted nervously where he sat in the Summers' livingroom on the couch. Ron sat on his right while Hermoine and Dawn were in the kitchen getting soda.

"You don't drink pumpkin juice here? Or butterbeer?" Asked Hermoine as the girls returned from the kitchen, each holding two cans of grape soda.

"Nope. Actually, I've never heard of butterbeer, and pumpkin juice? Eeew..."

Ron examined the soda can carefully and flicked small cap up. Hesitantly, he took a sip. It was good! Harry followed his example, agreeing, but Hermoine was more cautious. "It is quite good, I must admit." She said finally.

Dawn sat across from the boys on the coffee table. "So... tell me about your dream."

Harry knitted his eyebrows together in concentration as he told her of the two girls, one being her, on top of the tower, the jump. Dawn listened intently and by the end of the conversation she had tears glistening behind her eyes. She held them back, not wanting to cry in front of these new people.

"That other girl... the blonde one? Who is she?" Asked Ron curiously.

Dawn took a moment to make sure her tears were drawn back and she sniffled. "B-Buffy. She was my sister. Sh-She died. A couple of weeks ago."

Ron looked down and Hermoine gasped. Harry just gave a sympathetic smile, or he tried to. "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to loose someone."

Dawn just nodded. She could hear Spike punching the bag down in the basement and she contemplated going down and telling him about Harry's dream, but decided against it. Hermione broke her train of thoughts with a question. A question Dawn didn't want to answer.

"I am sorry to hear about your sister, but... why did she jump off of that tower in the first place? She had to have known it would kill her."

Dawn couldn't help but think about how pushy this brown haired girl was. Were all British people like this? "Uh..." She cleared her throat. "Buffy did it to... to save the world. And me."

All eyes grew wide and Hermoine eyed the small girl warily. "To save the world?" She and Harry shared a knowing glance which Ron frowned at, still confused. "How so?"

Dawn sighed. "My sister was the slayer."

"The what?" Ron asked, finally deciding to jump into the conversation.

"The slayer! Really?! I thought they were a myth! Or so my books said... How long? A vampire slayer correct? Oo! Is she the one that was psychotic? Or the one that dated a vampire? Or the one with the child?"

Dawn stared at Hermione like she had grown two heads or something.

"A slayer. One girl in all the world to kill vamps and demons. That's Buffy. Was... Buffy. Five years. Yes. Vampire slayer. Not psychotic. That's Faith. And yes, she dated a vampire. Nope, she never had a child."

Everyone was quiet for a while, not quite sure of what to say. It was alot to take in, for everyone.

The door suddenly swung open to reveal a very worried .... (( Guess who?! ))

_Los Angeles_

"What's happening? She's not coming out of the portal." Angel said frantically, looking from Wesley to Anne.

Wesley shrugged helplessly as he watched the purple portal swirl endlessly. "I'm not sure. Maybe there were obstacles we weren't aware of?" He looked to Anne.

She had her hands trembling at her sides and her eyes were wide with fear. "M-Maybe... Or maybe they went to a different portal? That's possible right?"

"No." Angel interrupted immediatley. "No. She'll come out and she'll be okay."

"I don't feel anything. I mean..." Anne began to see blurr, her head spinning. She gripped the side of her desk for support until the world came back to her. "Something's happening. Something big."

_The Portals_

Buffy looked around her in shock. She had killed these vampires before. Some were familiar, others weren't. She stood beside Sirius surrounded by vampires. The portal they had just stepped through sent them to... wherever 'here' was.

All at once, the vampires charged at the duo. Buffy began to kick and serve blows but there were too many vamps. Sirius was already being held bye three vampires while it took five to hold Buffy back from killing them all.

"Didn't I kill you already?!" She shouted to the dark haired vampire that was holding her right arm tightly. She could feel the bruise already beginning to form.

"Buffy we need to do something! They'll kill us!" Sirius shouted from his position in between the vampires, struggling to be free.

A dark skinned vampire with a high pitched voice stepped forward. He unvamped and smirked at Buffy. "Slayer. How nice to see you again. Boys! Take her the Master."

"HEY!" She shouted angrily. "There will be NO taking!... and... aren't you Trick?!"

Trick nodded and turned his back to the slayer. "Bring the warlock."

"WIZARD! Not Warlock." Sirius spat impatiently. "Wait. Who's the master?"

Buffy froze. She had an idea. If she had killed these vampires once....

The blonde girl was dragged towards a dark room with small candles lining the walls. They were the only given light except for the large chandelier at the end of the long hall. In a throne, sat her worst fear.

"Ahh, my glorious beauty. How nice it is to see you again."

**What do you think? Lol lemme know!! Who do you think is behind the door? Xander? Willow? Glory? Riley? Hmm....**


	9. Eyes Of Ice

**A/N: **Okay, okay, I know you all probably HATE me right now but I kinda had a brainfreeze and couldn't right! And now, I'm so attached to my B/A fic 'Glorious Madness' that I just haven't had the will to write this. But I'm pushing myself right now. I just added chappie 12 to GM and now, I'm gonna add a chappie to this. Okay.... lots of things to say... OO AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

**lil-sis4556 ** Encouraging! I must say! Thanks!

**Goddessa39** - I love you, lol. You're like one of my fave reviewers! Your reviews seem to always perk me up a bit! I like using the characters that don't get used much. I always thought that they are more important than they're made out to be. I honestly can't stand Harry/Dawn and I guarantee this fic is NOT one of them. I love B/A too but... I dunno. I think Buffy's ready to move on...Yes I'm talking about Wood's mother. Lol no Buffy/Angel baby. Sorry!

- Angel and Gunn don't know that Buffy and Anne(Lily) know eachother. Angel recognizes Anne from 'Lie To Me' but he doesn't realize it's her yet... I dont remember the name she used. Sorry! Anyway, Gunn doesn't know Buffy very well and Anne hasn't told him that she knows the Slayer. Sorry about the confusion! Hope that clears it up!

**Saxifrage** - I'm sorry my chapters aren't very long. I'm trying to work on that but I just keep finding good places to leave ya'll hanging! Sorry lol and now that I'm updating I hope you don't drop the story xD

**phoenix83ad** - I've read so many long-lost-relative stories that I'ma go insane. I mean, sure they're nice, but not my thing to write. I might later on.. but for now...I almost completley agree with you on the Hermione and soda thing, but I just think of it as she's never had soda before. I mean, she usually has pumpkin juice or butterbeer, or something of the such. It's very interesting that you bring Riley up! It's not him. Don't worry. is a Riley-hater

**CharmedChick** - again, the soda thing, read phoenix83ad little note. Sorry!

**Susan - ** I'm not telling! xD

**Thank you to all of you who reviewed! I'm sorry I haven't posted in like, months! I just had a sudden urge... O.o. And Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah and Happy ..Quanza? I can't spell it! sorry!**

**Chapter 9: Eyes Of Ice**

The door opened to reveal a very worried Willow. She had wide green eyes and was gasping for breath. "Dawn! I just--- who are you?" She asked suspiciously to the trio of witches and wizards.

Hermione stood up and smiled. "I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter."

Willow frowned. "Harry Potter? Like... the real one? The one who stopped Viddlevolt?"

Harry coughed. "Voldemort."

Dawn stood up and put her hand on her hips in that annoying teenage way. "Hey! How do you know who he is?! I don't even really know who he is! That isn't fair!"

"Harry's famous!"

"He is? Why haven't I heard of him? What'd he do?"

Ron stood up with a silly grin on his face. "Harry's The Boy Who Lived!"

Dawn shrugged like it was nothing. "So? My sister's The Girl That Died. Twice." She turned to look at Willow who seemed to be in a deep train of thought. "Willow? Why were you so upset when you came in?"

"Well, I saw Spike when I took a .. stroll... through the graveyard and I asked him where you were cause he was supposed to be watching you and he said you just took off with a group of British people."

Ron scoffed. "British people. He's one to talk!"

Hermione sighed. "Ron had a... an odd run in with .. Spike? The vampire. He was utterly terrified."

Dawn chuckled. "Looked like he was gonna pee his pants!"

Ron's eyes narrowed into slits. "I resent that."

Willow ignored the two teens arguing and looked at Hermione. "What are you all doing here? I mean, shouldn't you be in... Britain?"

"England."

"Right. So uh..."

Hermione sighed. "We're here because Harry had a dream about Dawn and her sister."

"You had a dream about Buffy?"

"Not really a dream," he corrected. "More like I was there. When she, Buffythat is, jumped off of a tower."

Hermione groaned. "He was seeing the past. We thought it was peculiar so we decided to do some discovering. And here we are in Sunnydale."

Willow was trying to take everything in but it just wasn't working right. She looked over at the small black cordless phone in it's cradle on the stand. The machine was blinking red.

"Dawn did you check messages yet?"

The brown haired teenager shook her head. Willow pushed the button and listened as Janice, Dawn's best friend, spoke. "Call me when you get home Dawnie!"

Next was a bill collector named Mark Johanson. Erased.

Then it was Wesley.

"Willow? This is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. I'm a bit worried about Angel. A friend, Anne has sensed a disturbance in a portal she watches over and we looked into and found Buffy and a uh, wizard named Sirius Black. We're trying to get them out under Angel's orders and I was just hoping to speak with you. Thank you and give me a call. 555-4134."

Willow replayed the message over and over again. It was a shock to her but to see the shock on the Brit's faces when she turned around was even more surprising. "Buffy's alive?" Asked Dawn in almost a hushed whisper.

Harry sat down on the couch and seemed to be staring off somewhere far away.

"Sirius?" His voice was broken and choked. "T-They must be wrong. He's dead! He's dead!" Shouted Harry with water misting his eyes. Hermione sat down to comfort Harry but he pushed her away. "We need to go to your friends and help them. We need to get Sirius out!"

_Behind The Veil_

Cold yellow eyes watched the Slayer carefully with every single move she attempted to make to break free. The Master steepled his hands and clicked his long, dreadfully long, nails together.

"My dear girl, it is of no use. You will not escape me again."

"Where am I? This is a dream, this a nightmare."

Sirius struggled with the vampires holding him back. "Buffy what in bloody hell is going on?!"

"Bring me the girl." Said the master in a voice that promised sweet, bitter revenge. "I've been down here for what seems hundreds, maybe thousands of years and I have yet to forget about you. You've stumbled across the land of the Undead. Every vampire you have ever killed, maimed (sp?), is here. Waiting to drink your esquisite blood."

Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "NO! You're not real! You're not real! None of this is!"

Another familiar face that Buffy recognized as Luke from the vamp at the Harvest, stepped forward with a silly grin. "Keep telling yourself that Princess. Mabe you'll start to believe it."

Hot, silent tears streaked her face, mixing from the blood of the jump. Her worst fear was him. The Master. Although she would never admit it, he was the one thing besides Angelus that haunted her dreams at night. He was the cause of her fears.

Buffy trembled as she was dragged closer the the Master. He had a grin that bared all of his teeth, especially the fangs that dug endlessly at his lip as he awaited his prize.

"My lovely, precious, girl." He said softly. She could feel his breath on her skin. Her flesh rippled with fear and goosebumps prickled over the cream coloured skin.

"Please..."

"Please what? Is that what a Slayer does? She begs for her life?"

Buffy gritted her teeth and took a quick glance at the vampires holding her steady. She thought of Dawn and how she needed to get back to take care of her. She thought of her friends and Angel. Sweet, perfect Angel who she couldn't have. This was it.

With one strong pull she freed her arms and elbowed either vamp on both sides. She then watched as the Master stood up and tried to avert her gaze to him. Buffy wouldn't give in. Not once in the battle did her eyes meet his. She fought with a strength she never knew she could possess.

Sirius had also freed himself from his captors and fought hand to hand, not very well, but he didn't have a wand on him.

Buffy lunged onto the floor and pulled a leg off of the bottom of the throne and rolled over. She flipped onto her feet and spun so quickly that the stake plunged into the Master's heart and he almost immediatley turned into a vapor of dust.

Suddenly the other vampires moved out of the way. Sirius looked at Buffy with wide blue eyes. "That was incredible. I've never seen a girl fight with such skill before."

Another portal began to open and Buffy recognized it as the same portal she jumped into to begin with. The colours swirled endlessly. She held out her hand to Sirius. "Do you trust me?"

Sirius took her hand and together they jumped into the portal. Buffy felt her hand leave Sirius' at some point. Sirius felt a pull in his naval and landed with a thud on a carpeted floor. He looked up into the eyes of a very angry vampire.

"Where's Buffy?!" Shouted the fanged fiend.

Sirius just stood up, wobbling slightly. "She... she let go of my hand. I don't know where she is. Who are you?"

"Angel. If something happened to her I swear i'll rip out your veins and use your blood to fingerpaint."

Gunn raised an eyebrow. "There's that creative streak of yours."

_Buffy's POV_

Ugh... My head hurts. It pounds like a hammer. Damn dimensions! Wait... I don't know this place... what am I wearing? Where am I? I look down to see I'm in what looks like a hospital bed in a hospital gown.

I can hear voices outside the cracked door and I pray they have an Advil or something for my head!

"I can't just leave!" Shouted the first voice, obviously male.

"We'll watch the girl, but the Ministry just called and said they need you. Something about Black." This voice was a woman's and it sounded very agitated.

"Tell them to get Granger on it. I've got more important things to deal with."

"But Sir--"

"That's the end of it." The voices were British, fairly similar to Sirius'.

That reminds me... Sirius isn't here! Where the hell did he end up?!

Suddenly the door opened and a tall man with flaxen hair that fell carelessly across his forehead and eyes of ice stepped inside. The platinum blonde hair reminded me oddly of Spike and his eyes... oh his eyes!

They were a brilliant silver-blue that I felt I could get lost in.

He saw that I was awake and slowly moved to the bed. "Hello." He took my hand into his own much larger one and kissed it. He was so much different from Angel. His hands, his skin was warm and his lips so smooth. If only I could just...

Bad Buffy! Bad!

"My name is Draco. Draco Malfoy."

"Draco." I repeated, letting the world roll off my tongue like silk. It had a nice ring to it. "I'm uh... I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers." I paused and glanced around. "So, Mr.Malfoy, would you mind telling me where I am and why I'm here?"

He smiled. Oo that smile is to die for! Literally!

"I was working when I found you. I had to clear a few things up at Hogwarts and I was out in the Forbidden Forest when I found you by the lake. A centuar was nursing you. I brought you here to St.Mungo's, the hospital."

I felt like I was talking to someone who spoke a completley different language. "Okay, first of all, what the hell is a Hogwarts and why is the forest forbidden and what is a centuar? Oh and where is St.Mungos?"

Oh horror! I think I frightened him. He's looking at me like I'm crazy. "Uh, Hogwarts? School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" He ignored all my other questions.

Wait...

There were magick schools? Why didn't I ever know this?! Does Giles know?!

"Right. Well I'm not too fond of hospitals. At all. Do you think we could umm... leave?"

For the first time I noticed that Draco was wearing robes of some sort. They were black but I'd never seen anyone wear robes except for a priest or a judge.

Oh boy, I hope he isn't a priest for I have sinned wayyyy too much for him to forgive.

**Okay, okay, now have a Merry Fricken Christmas! La La.... **


	10. Noir du Coeur, âme de Pierre

**A/N: **Thanks to those of you who reviewed for the last chapter!! I'm proud of myself for sitting down and writing it. Now I tied myself into this chapter and am making it a habit to write. I was a little disappointed at so little reviews considering I've had many people begging me to write!!! Anyway, just so you know I wont be on from February 12-21 so there will be no posting in between then. I will be on vacation!

**Review!!!! It motivates meh!!**

**Goddessa39** - Yay! My buddy! I agree that the B/A thing would be extremley weird right now, considering the situation and all. But there will be a little B/A but the fic isn't going to be a BA. I kinda have an idea for a pairing, if you haven't noticed I brought in a new character. How many of you expected THAT one huh?! Hehe... I love Draco Malfoy!!! By the way, I don't find you annoying considering I'm annoying... guess we're even!

**zayra** - Exactly!!! I love the Draco/Buffy pairing... I've read a few and I think there should be more of them! I'm not completley sure if it's going to end up Draco/Buffy but right now...

**Damia - Queen of the Gypsi's** - Thanks for the review!! I'm trying to update as often as possible.

WOW I have a thing for the whole '...' thing. Dunno why, i just like it so excuse me if I do it a lot. Lol.

By the way, the title of this chapter is French for 'Black of Heart, Soul of Stone' I dunno if it's right cuz I used one of those translator things.

**And the much awaited for....**

**Chapter 10: Noir du coeur, âme de pierre**

_Los Angeles_

Angel was seriously pissed off. Why didn't Buffy come out of the portal?! Instead they ended up with this.. this wizard. Angel paced around Anne's office rubbing the back of his head every once in a while. Gunn watched Angel, afraid to say anything knowing it may set the vampire off.

In the opposite room, Sirius was sitting in a small wooden chair in what seemed like a lobby or front room. A pretty blonde and a British man, like himself, were questioning him about Buffy. He wasn't sure what to tell them or even if they were to be trusted.

"How did you find yourself in The Veil?" Asked the brown haired Brit once again.

Sirius sighed. How many times would he have to tell them without revealing too much? "I told you, I was in the middle of an arguement with an... an aquantience. She cast a--- Sorry. She uh, shoved me and I fell back and the next thing I knew I was in the world."

Anne frowned. "He's lying. I can tell. Now, if you don't tell us everything then that big guy with fangs in there, he's gonna bite you."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Speaking of him, why does he want Buffy so much? Why is she so important to him?"

Wesley closed his eyes. "Angel and Buffy have a history. He loves her. She loves him. He needs her right now."

Something clicked in Sirius' mind and he recalled Buffy mentioning briefly of an ex named Angel and that they were on bad terms at the moment. She cursed him out and muttered severe promises of stabbing with wood to herself. Sirius suddenly didn't like this vampire.

"Maybe she doesn't need him."

From the other room, Angel had stopped his pacing. His vampiric hearing allowed him to hear everything that was going on. If Sirius didn't have information Angel swore he would snap his neck.

Gunn saw the ferocity in his friend's eyes and stepped forward to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Angel shoved him away.

Gunn put his hands up in surrender. "Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's sayin'."

Angel frowned as realization hit him. "Maybe he does, Gunn. Maybe I'm just causing some more trouble. Maybe Buffy doesn't need me at all and I'm just holding on to the past."

"The past isn't always a bad thing, man."

"Mine is. Maybe my love for Buffy is holding me back from everything else. Everything else that I should be doing. It's my job to protect the world."

"Everything happens for a reason."

"Does it? Did Buffy die because the world didn't need saving anymore? Was Sirius stuck in the Veil because his world didn't need him? Am I still around after two hundred and some years just to dig up the past that the world has spent so many years trying to bury? Is that what I'm here for Gunn?"

Gunn shook his head. He wasn't exactly sure how to answer. "I couldn't tell you. The only thing I know is that you're trying to help her. You're trying to help, man, not do bad. Whatever happened... happens... isn't your fault."

"Yes. It is."

Before Gunn had a chance to reply Wesley stormed into the office with a furied face. "He won't tell us anything. He's lying through his teeth."

The three re-entered the lobby and stood in front of Sirius. Anne was still trying to threaten him into telling the truth. Gunn had to hold back a smile at the sight of this small blonde girl tossing threats and promises around like pleasantries.

"So, Sirius Black, tell me. Where are you from?" Angel asked, pushing Anne gently to the side of him. Sirius felt like he was a suspect for murder, and he knew what that was like.

"London."

"I'm not that thick. Where in London, exactly?"

Sirius thought for a minute and then sighed dejectedly. "Near Surrey."

Something struck Wesley and he butted in. "What school did you attend, Sirius?"

Sirius widened his eyes but quickly covered it, but not before Angel noticed. "I-I..."

Wesley quirked an eyebrow. "Hogwarts by any chance?"

"Why-- yes. How do you know---"

"I attended school there myself, several years ago. Know I realize why your name sounded oh so familiar. Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin. Am I correct?"

"What's your name again?" Sirius pondered.

"Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. Graduated at the top of my class before attending the Watcher's Training Program. I graduated a year or so after you but I remember you and your friends. Troublemakers."

Angel, Anne, and Gunn all looked extremley perplexed. "Hogwarts? What the hell kind of name is Hogwarts?" Gunn asked stupidly.

Sirius sighed. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

_Sunnydale_

Willow had tried numerous times to phone Wesley but there was no such luck. Nobody answered. This worried her, considering someone usually always answered. If it wasn't Wesley himself then it was that cute little brunette girl or the really big black guy... he kind of scared Willow.

Hermione chatted with Dawn about everything. They seemed to get along quite well considering Dawn wasn't interested in _anything_ that Hermione was.

Harry and Ron just watched them in awe. Ron leaned over and whispered to Harry, "How is it that girls can talk like this? You'd think they'd run out of things to say."

Harry chuckled and patted Ron's shoulder. "It's something we'll never know, mate."

Just then, Willow re-entered the livingroom with a frustrated sigh. "Still no answer. It's starting to make me queazy."

"Queazy?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. Like that nervous-pit-in-my-stomach-that-feels-like-something-is-wrong kind of queazy."

Dawn immediatley looked up at Willow from her conversation with Hermione, worry etching her face. "You don't think something happened do you, Willow?"

The red head could only shrug. "I really don't know Dawnie."

Dawn stood up and dusted off the back of her pants. "Well I think we should go visit them and see what's up."

Willow shook her head. "They could call while we're on the road. Dawn, it takes a few hours to get to L.A."

Hermione shook her head. "No it won't."

Willow frowned. "Uh, yeah. It will. I've been there before, driving, believe me."

Hermione's shoulders rotated nonchalantly. "That's because you were driving. We won't be."

Willow was now becoming irritated. "And how do you plan to get to there, huh? Get on a broom and fly?"

Harry and Ron both stood up and smiled. "Well...."

Hermione waved a hand at the boys. "Oh shush up, we aren't taking your brooms. You don't even have them here with you. I don't like brooms anyway."

Dawn's eyes grew wide. "You mean... you can really ride brooms? Like, as in fly on them?!"

Harry nodded excitedly. "Haven't you ever heard of Quidditch?"

Hermione groaned. "Not NOW Harry!" She looked back at Willow and smiled. "We can floo, since you two can't apparate."

Dawn turned her head over her shoulder. "Bless you." She then returned to Harry, who was explaining Quidditch, Ron smiling eagerly at his side.

"Flu? I'd rather not get the flu, thanks." Willow took a step away from the brunette. Hermione laughed. "Not 'flu', floo. Ron, do you still carry that small bag of floo powder with you?"

Ron nodded and reached in his pocket. "Just in case."

"Good. We're going to need it."

_The Malfoy Manor_

Buffy stared in awe at the large mansion. Draco kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye, a small smirk appearing on his face. "I take it you like it?"

She didn't even look at him, almost as if her eyes were glued to the house. "It's beautiful."

He held out his hand to her and quirked an eyebrow. "Shall we go in, then? What use is this house to us if we're outside of it?"

Buffy rolled her eyes but smiled and took his hand. He led her through the front doors and into a front hall. It was large and decorated with what seemed to be millions of paintings that... talked? And moved? She shook her head to dispose of these hallucinations.

"I think I'm going crazy."

Draco chuckled. "You're not. The pictures are alive. Much is everything else around here. I suppose you'll get used to it."

Buffy's eyes narrowed and she furrowed her brow. "And how long do you expect to keep me here?"

He shrugged and pulled her forward once more and toward the stairs. "Until I find out what I need to know and until you're one-hundred percent better. Lollie! In the front hall!"

Almost as soon as he spoke the name, a small creature appeared. It had droopy ears and big, dopey eyes. The tea rag it wore was worn and haggard but it still held a smile. "Master Malfoy called, Sir?"

Buffy winced at the creepy little creatures voice. "Buffy, this is one of the house-elves, Lollie. Lollie, this is Buffy."

Lollie bowed her head a little. "Welcome, Mistress Buffy."

Buffy's green orbs widened at this... comment. Draco chuckled. Buffy passed a glance between him and the small elf but shrugged it off.

"Lollie, Buffy will be staying with us for a while, I need you to set up an appropriate room for her."

"Yes, Master Malfoy. Good evening, Mistress Buffy." Said the house-elf before vanishing into thin air.

Draco led Buffy down the hall ... many halls. The house was so big Buffy was afraid that if Draco wasn't with her at all times she might get lost! They finally emerged into a large kitchen. Buffy grinned.

"Food."

Draco nodded. "Usually what is stored in a kitchen."

"I like food." She mentally slapped herself for how stupid that sounded. "I mean... food is good...no that's not any better. I'm gonna shut up now."

Draco whistled slightly and six houselves ventured through what Buffy thought to be the pantry door. "Buffy, just tell them what you'd like and they'll make it."

The flaxen blonde then disappeared through a small passageway, leaving Buffy alone with the freakish little creatures. "Umm...what do you have?"

One of the elves chirped in perkily, "Everything! Anything!"

"What's your name?"

The houself froze and widened it's gaze. "I--I-- Mistress--"

"You do have a name, don't you?"

"Well, yes, ma'am. Beanie is my name, Mistress."

"Buffy." The blonde slayer filled in.

"Yes, Mistress Buffy."

Draco returned with two crystal champagne glasses filled with a blood coloured liquid. He handed one to Buffy who stood up and took it.

"I'm actually not that hungry."

Draco nodded and held out his hand once more, taking Buffy with him down the corridors. Each side of the hall was lined with brightly lit candles and chandeleirs overhead. The walls were stone and cold but Buffy wasn't surprised, it seemed to fit Draco. He may have been nice and caring with her, but Buffy had the impression that Draco wasn't always so perfect.

They stopped at a wooden door with a dark handle. Draco muttered something in Latin under his breath and the lock clicked back, allowing he and Buffy to enter.

She was astounded. It was a private library with shelves lined with books and artifacts. A leather, black couch sat in front of the most elegant fireplace she had ever seen.

Draco motioned for Buffy to sit on the couch. She did so and he followed. They were so close Buffy could feel his breath on her shoulder, her neck.

"Cold?" His voice was a husky whisper and Buffy shook her head. Not taking notice, he snapped his fingers and a fire erupted in the fireplace, blazing high and warm.

Was it suddenly getting hot in here? Maybe it was just the fire.

Buffy took a sip of the wine, too strong for her tastes, but it suited her.

She could feel his stormy grey eyes piercing her skin, her soul. When she turned to look at him, she was lost once more. His eyes captivated her like a hypnotizing angel. They stared long and hard at eachother, just relishing in the company of one another.

Buffy found her heartbeat quickening more than she would have liked and her breathing getting heavier. What was wrong with her?! She didn't even know him.

He must have put a spell on her! He did something!

No... she knew he didn't.

She knew, that this, all of this, was real.

To real for her to like.

**Review!**


	11. Secrets Revealed

**A/N:** Alright, I've been gone on vacation and trying to catch up with my schoolwork so I'm really sorry about the NON updates. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things though. Please forgive me!

Thanks to

**LoveMeFred, Emba, zayra, Damia**

Song is by Jem, Flying High

**Chapter 11: Secrets Revealed**

Buffy scooched back on the small, luxurious sofa and away from Draco. He raised an eyebrow curiously, almost challengingly.

"Something wrong, princess?"

The small blonde nodded. "Yeah. I just met you, Draco. And I mean, you seem like a really nice guy but you also seem like a secret-y bad guy. I've done bad guys before and it never turns out good. They always end up biting me or trying to kill my friends and family or killing their fish."

"Their fish?"

"Uh-huh. And I mean, hey, I just met you. You have secrets, I have secrets. Secrets I'm not ready for you to know."

"How will I know when you're ready?" He asked gently.

"Because you'll be ready to tell me yours."

And that, was the end of that conversation. Draco did not make another move on Buffy with the exception of shameless flirting that neither could ignore. In fact, they seemed to get along quite well. Draco didn't know why he was being so kind and... sweet. Malfoy's weren't sweet, especially THIS Malfoy in particular.

Something about this girl made him feel different and he couldn't explain it. By the time he checked the grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the opposite side of the room, Draco realized it was midnight already.

"We should probably get some rest. I have a large agenda planned for tomorrow." He said while standing, black robes once more swishing as he offered Buffy a hand.

She took it and was pulled to her feet with a perplexed face. "Tomorrow? What's tomorrow?"

"Why, love, I get to give you the grand tour of the Malfoy Manor and I have a surprise in the gardens."

Buffy narrowed her eyes but did not question him any further. He led her to a gigantic suite with a queen sized bed that was layered with pure white silk and satin. It had four posters that held up a large canopy and pillows scattered across the sheets.

Draco led Buffy to a small- okay, definatley really really big- wardrobe and told her that there were nightdresses that should fit her in there.

"Will you be okay in here?" He asked, his left hand resting on her shoulder.

She smirked. "Why? Care to share my bed?" She winced and mentally slapped herself. "I didn't mean it like that I-"

He cut her off with a wink and equally persuasive smirk. "Sure you didn't." He kissed her cheek. "Sleep tight and dream of me."

"Of course."

The Next Morning

"Mistress Buffy? Mistress Buffy, Lollie is very sorry to awaken you, but Master Malfoy insists you wake up and meet him in the dining hall for a breakfast, Miss."

Buffy opened one eye to look at Lollie and then blinked, rubbing sleep away. She sat up and let the silken sheets fall to her waist. She yawned and stretched like a cat. "Thank you, Lolli. I'll be down in a few minutes."

The houself rushed off in such a hurry that Buffy wasn't even sure she had heard her. Standing up, Buffy went in search of an outfit and found numerous cloth items in the wardrobe that were definatley not there before. After she took a quick shower she changed into a knee-length flowy white skirt with small imbedded holed designs and a pale blue tank top. She decided it would be quicker just to let her hair dry on it's own instead of playing with it.

When she was finished, Buffy made her way down the long corridors that led to the stairway. She had made herself memorize the stairway to her room last night before bed.

'Step five, step four, step three, step two, step one-'

"You're late. What took you so bloody long?"

Buffy looked up from her train of thought. "Huh? Oh. I'm a girl, duh." She said it like it was the most obvious thing on this earth and then sighed. "You're lucky I was done. I counted a whole 57 steps."

Draco chuckled. "Too bad you can't apparate, isn't it? And there are 58."

"Damn you."

"Are you hungry?"

Buffy shrugged her small shoulders. "A bit. Why?"

"Can it wait for, oh... say half an hour?"

She scrunched up her nose. "Maybe. Why?"

He held out his hand to her once more. "Follow me." It was beginning to become a daily habit.

_You can't know, oh no, you can't know_

_How much I think about you, no_

_It's making my head spin_

_Looking at you, and you are looking at me_

_And we both know what we want_

_So close to giving in_

Draco led Buffy out two french veranda doors and onto a small stone pathway that had just enough room for the two of them walking side by side, hand in hand.

"Where are you taking me? My doom?"

"You'll see soon enough. I promise."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep."

"Why not?"

"I don't like liars."

The breeze was calm, but cool. Small bushes that held wildflowers and colourful petals surrounded them on both sides as they walked. Buffy listened to the soothing sound of the birds chirping and the faint scent of roses.

_Feel so nice, oh yeah you feel so nice_

_Wish I could spend the night,_

_But I can't pay the price_

_Oh no, no_

"Are ya gonna tell me now?" She asked impatiently.

Draco shook his head with a knowing smile. "No, but we're almost there."

"Promise?"

"I swear to it."

Suddenly, Draco pulled Buffy to a halt and put a hand over her eyes. She struggled and laughed at the same time. "Hey! What're you doing?"

Her laugh made him smile, a smile he hadn't realized he still had. "Just trust me. No peeking."

Buffy nodded. "Fine, no peeking. Not that could if I wanted to!"

_But I'm flying so high_

_High off the ground_

_When you're around_

_And I can feel you're high_

_Rocking me inside, it's too much to hide_

They walked a few more paces and Buffy heard bushes or trees behind rustled and the sound of running water. It sounded like a- the hand fell from her face and down to the side of it's owner.

Buffy stood in awe at the beautiful scene before her.

Trees of all kinds scattered across the landscape and a tall, cascading waterfall of crystal blue water was set in the middle. Flowers were surrounding the two everywhere the turned and the sky was starting to dim a bit.

There was a small white blanket laid out on the lush green grass just in front of the waterfall and Draco took a seat on it. He patted the spot beside him but Buffy took no notice.

_I know, oh yes, I know that we can't_

_Be together, but I, I just like to dream_

_It's so strange the way our paths have crossed_

_How we were brought together_

_It's written in the stars it seems_

She climbed in front of him and sat in between his wide-spread legs and leaned her head back against his shoulder. "This is so.. incredible. I never knew such a thing existed."

"Glad you like it. Just one perk of the Malfoy properties. But 'tis my favorite, I must say."

Buffy relished in the gentle heat and the soft spraying mist that waved over the pair. She put her hands behind her so that they entertwined with Draco's.

"Remember all that stuff I said last night? About waiting?"

Draco nodded and swallowed a lump that had suddenly appeared in his now dry throat.

_Feel so nice, oh yeah you feel so nice_

_I'd love to spend the night_

_But I can't pay the price,_

_Oh no, no_

"Well I'm thinking about taking it all back." She manuvoured her body so that she was partially facing him.

Draco quirked a questioning eyebrow. "What about our secrets?"

"Not all secrets are good ones. Not all secrets are ones that the other needs to know... right?"

"No secrets are good secrets. All have bad outcomes. Buffy, listen to me. I know I've known you for less than a week and I feel like I've known you longer than I've known my own father."

A frown etched Buffy's lips. "I know what you mean. Okay Draco, first of all, I've been in three real relationships and I don't even know if Parker counts. They all turned out bad. Angel and I were in love. We really were. It was a love that I don't think I could ever experience again. But then we made love and he turned Angelus- evil and he killed... because of me. I had to kill him, Draco. I had to kill the one I loved. And I finally got him back but things just weren't the same. Is it ever? He left me. Left town."

Buffy let this all sink in for Draco. He pondered. "Angelus? As in the vampire? Scourge of Europe?"

She nodded. "Yeah. My second was Parker. I mean, I thought he was a nice guy. He was normal and all- that's what I wanted. Normal. Pfft- is there such a thing? Anyway, he was a jerk. That's when I met Riley. Perfect Iowa boy. Normal, sweet, cute... not normal. He worked this Initiative, government organization that hunted demons. He knew I didn't love him so he left. The country."

Draco sighed. "I think you've been through much worse than I."

_And I'm flying so high_

_High off the ground_

_When you're around_

_And I can feel you're high_

_Touching me inside, and it's too much to hide_

The flaxen haired wizard looked up into Buffy's hazel eyes with sorrow. "My father was a Death Eater, someone who works for the Dark Lord, kills innocents for pleasure, basically, the dark side. I was raised to be the proper, aristocratic gentleman I am now. I would be beaten when I did wrong and was not praised when I did right. I was to do what he said, when he said it, act just like him. And I did. Until my seventh year in school. He was captured as a Death Eater and put in Azkaban, the prison here in Wizarding world. Dreadful place, really. I never really committed to a woman, or girl, before. I slept around with every girl in school. They nicknamed me the Slytherin Sex God." He smirked. "Which wasn't a lie."

"But you're not evil right?"

Draco shook his head. "Far from it, but I just can't get others to believe me. Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy they say."

"Well that is true logically- for male at least. But I get what you mean. And I, by the way, don't think you're like that. People can change, I know I did."

_Back to earth, where did you take me to?_

_I know there's no such thing_

_This painless love, well it'll catch us up_

"Any more secrets, princess?"

Buffy bit her bottom lip. "Just one that I can think of."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"I'm the Slayer."

Draco knitted his eyebrows together. Slayer.. slayer... Oh! Oh... "As in THE Slayer?"

Buffy nodded and gave him her prize-winning puppy look. "Yeah. Well I mean, there are two of us now but I was the original."

"Wait- there can't be two. It's impossible. When one Slayer -"

"-dies another is chosen, yada yada yada. So I died! Big deal!"

Buffy could've sworn that those grey eyes of his almost popped out of the sockets. "You've died!"

She nodded. "Twice now, I believe. Unless this isn't considered dying... which I mean, I must've since I'm in Heaven with an angel."

Draco smirked. "That is the corniest line I've heard. Not even I have said THAT one yet."

Buffy giggled. "Sure you haven't, Draco."

_And we can never win_

_But oh, I feel so alive_

_Oh, just wanna hold you_

_Hold you so tight_

They never knew silence could be so loud. And then it happened. His lips brushed hers in a small, chaste kiss, but it was still a kiss. They both kept their eyes closed longer than necessary after pulling away and smiled.

Draco was the first to open his eyes. "May I do that again, princess?"

Buffy nodded. "Help yourself."

_And I'm flying so high_

_High off the ground_

_When you're around_

_And I can feel you're high_

_Touching me inside, and it's too much to hide_

He did just that. Draco leaned forward once more and captured her soft, pink lips with his own. It was gentle, yet passionate, and slightly rough all at the same time. This was different from kissing Angel or Riley, this was a kiss felt all things needed to make her temperature rise a few notches.

Together they sat there, snuggling in front of the waterfall on that little white blanket, kissing like there was no tomorrow.

And who knows? With this world, there just might not be.

_And I'm flying so high_

_High off the ground_

_When you're around_

No cliffies! Happy! Hehe.. I was gonna wait longer for the kiss- but I couldn't resist.


	12. The Ocean of Everything

**A/N:** Kay, well here's Chapter 12.. not much to say really...the song in this chapter is by Dashboard Confessionals and called 'The Good Fight'

**goddessa39** - sighs I know, there isn't any BA, I mean sure there will be closure... but nothing that you'll like, lol. BUT I have made a decision and that decision is that I'm going to write a fanfic that is STRICTLY BA, just for you! (when I finish one of these ones of course, but I am currently starting it just not posting it.. any ideas let me know!)

**Alliana** - The actual plot? Ya know... I'm still working that lol. It will have a bit of fighting to it, I mean, c'mon, wouldn't you like to see Draco and Angel go at it just ONCE?.. maybe.. possibly shirtless? ... in a pool of pudding, or jello, or something wet and sticky? Aww, c'mon you know you want it! Lol. Actually, I'm thinking that there will be more to it than a 'BuffyDracoAngel' theme. If you'll remember, Sirius was thought to be gone forever, but now he returns, how will this effect Harry?..

**Chapter 12: The Ocean of Everything**

Buffy lay in Draco's bed the next morning huddled under the silken sheets. She rolled over so that she faced him and gave a thoughtful frown.

"Draco?"

The wizard gave a tired 'what' but did no other sign that he was awake.

"Draco, are you awake?"

He groaned and opened one eye, then the other. "I am _now_. What is it, love?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I think we should go to Los Angeles."

Now **that** woke him up. He sat up immediatley and shook his head. "Why?"

"Because I think I need to make amends for.. for some things. With some people. Plus, I need to find Sirius."

With a roll of his eyes, Draco stood up and strutted naked across the room and grabbed his jeans off the floor. He put them on and then searched for his shirt.

"Draco, don't get all cold-shouldery on me now. I was just saying. I mean, we can floo right? Or apple-ate or whatever it is you wizards do?"

He shook his head. "You wanna go see that bloody vampire, don't you?"

Buffy climbed out of bed also and began her hunt for clothes. "I just need some closure before you and I do anything."

Draco scoffed and then laughed loudly. "I think you're a little late, my love. If you haven't noticed, we had sex last night."

Buffy sighed. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. "I know. And I didn't mean it like that, but after last night... I realize that I want something more than just sex. With you. I want something more than just sex with **you**... taking note that I said you and not Angel?"

With his shirt buttoned up halfway, Draco strolled over toward her with such an aristocratic grace it enthralled her. "I'm sorry. We'll go whenever you're ready."

She leaned up on tiptoe and planted a soft kiss on his lips, then ran into the bathroom carrying an armful of clothing. She peeked out from the door. "Are you coming, or not?"

"Well I'm not going to stand out here when I could be in there with you."

"Angel! Angel!" Willow beckoned for him through the doors of the building. She immediatley spotted the gang and an unfamiliar man tied to a chair.

"Oh... uh..." Dawn said with wide eyes. "We always come at the wrong time."

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. "Get me out of here."

Willow turned and looked at him confused. Hermione and Ron each had a hold of his arm. "No, Harry. Stay. I think... I mean... That's..."

"I'm seeing things! They're doing this to me! Make them stop!" Harry screamed like a five year old. Tears sprung from his eyes. By now, everyone had turned to watch the scene play out before them.

Sirius was pulling so harshly on his ropes that Wesley was sure he was bleeding. Angel walked towards the red head and the teenagers.

"Willow, glad you could come. Not the best time."

"I was never good with timing. You called me. What's up? See, we're kind of in a predicament of our own..."

"And I have a feeling that your predicament and my predicament have a connection to our predicament."

"Our?"

"Buffy."

"What...oh. Uh, whose that?" She asked nodding her head toward the chair.

"Sirius Black. Fell through a portal where he'd been trapped for several years. Buffy's been there with him but they got split up. We meant to bring her back, not him."

"Cant' he tell us where she is?"

"He probably would if he knew. But Wesley is working on it, something about Wizards."

Hermione looked up and took a step forward while Ron and Dawn tried to calm Harry.

"I should be of some help there. I **_am_** a witch, afterall." The pride in her voice was ridiculously annoying but Angel led the girl to Wesley's office.

"Wes, this is..."

"Hermione Granger, Department of Aurors, Ministry of Magic." She supplied.

Angel only raised an eyebrow in utter perplexity. "Right. Hermione, this is Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. I'll let you two get to work."

Willow and Angel spent the rest of the night trying to get Sirius and Harry in the same room together. Oddly, Harry refused to believe that it was Sirius, muttering things about the Dark Lord and Death Eaters.

"Harry, you need to stop this. It's ridiculous. Sirius is real! Would I lie to you?" Ron tried in attempting to get Harry to stop shaking. "C'mon mate, you can trust us."

Something had burst in Harry. He was in some kind of melodramatic state and wouldn't let anyone else in. He kept shaking his head.

"I think he's gone a bit loony." Ron muttered causing a hit from Dawn.

Willow frowned and then turned to face Angel who was standing near the front desk. "What're we gonna do, Angel?"

And, as always, she made her grand entrance. This time with a gorgeous blonde wizard who had his arm slung loosley around her waist.

"Buffy!" Willow gasped in shock.

_This purchased rebellion has been outbidded_

_Denounced and rescinded and left to die_

_Championless, championless, championless_

"B-Buffy." Angel's greeting wasn't as enthusiastic, seeing the man on his love's arm.

"Hey guys, we have a problem."

"We?" Angel questioned with a raise of the eyebrow.

_Consider the odds, consider the obvious_

_The martyr is meaningless, the campaign has died_

Willow didn't seem to care. She practically shoved Draco off so that she could hug her best friend. "Oh goddess! I've missed you so much! It's been so hard without you and I know it hasn't been _that_ long but it feels like forever and OH! Dawnie's here too and she missed you more than me, if that's possible. Ye Gods!"

Buffy smiled and hugged her friend back gently. "Did you even breath?"

Willow shook her head.

"Good. Same old Willow."

_Claimed you as my only hope _

_And watched the floor as you retreated_

Angel and Willow led the pair out to the main lobby where everyone else was. Draco nodded toward Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and then glared at Sirius, but said nothing.

Dawn immediatley tackled Buffy with hugs and kisses. "BUFFY! Oh my gosh! I thought it was all a lie and not real and I've missed you so much!"

Buffy kissed Dawn's cheek. "I missed you too. But I'm back now. That's what's important."

Dawn stood up, helped up Buffy and then smirked, giving Draco the once over. "Oo... and back with a hottie. Whose this?"

Buffy blushed. "This is Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is my sister Dawn, my best friend Willow, and this is Angel... and I dont know who they are." She smiled sweetly, longingly at Angel. It had been so long...

"Nice to meet you's" and "How're ya?" were passed on to Draco as he met each person individually.

_Does it comfort you to know you fought the good fight?_

_Basking in your victory, hollow and alone_

He and Angel shared looks and then Draco kissed Buffy quickly, whispered something in her ear and followed Angel into a dim hallway.

"It's nice to" Draco started.

"Touch Buffy and I'll kill you."

Draco smirked. "Too late."

Angel's eyes grew into golden slits as his face transformed. His left hand wrapped itself around Draco's thin neck and slammed him against the wall.

_While you boast your bitter bragging rights to anyone who'll listen_

_While you're left with nothing tangible to gain_

"She's mine."

"She isn't a bloody possession, and if I- I remember correctly, YOU left HER." He coughed. "And I also recall her being with ME."

"Watch it boy. I haven't dranken some fresh blood in a while." Angel growled.

"I dare you... I dare you to even **try**."

_Denounced and rescinded and left to die_

_Championless, championless, championless_


	13. Thorns

**A/N: **ahhhh... cliffie! I know! Don't kill me! Heh... That was one of my favorite chapters to write... but the one I like better? THIS ONE! Yayness! Lol.The song is by Poison and it's called 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' (Ergo (sp) the title)

**IceBlueRose** - AHH! I love you! You're now my second best to Goddessa! Ooo you make me giddy!

**great big buffy fan -** Because I know it drives ya crazy xD Lol

**Goddessa39 - ** Eek! I know, I know...Not BA and I was GONNA write that one fic that would end up BA but it wont let me so I kinda put that on hold, but if you have any ideas for a BA fic, lemme know... WARNING: You're gonna hate me after this chapter...

**Slayerq - **Spike's reaction? Will be VERY interesting.

Another thank you to **Slays, vik, **and** slaygal166.**

**Disclaimer:** If you don't know by now... not mine.

**Distribution:** Anywhere, let me know.

**Chapter 13: Thorns**

_We both lie silently still in the  
dead of the night  
_

Draco's hand reached into his back pocket and he swiftly pulled out his wand. Angel, who was a bit startled and confused at this action, refused to show it and just kept a hot, golden glare sternly on Draco's face.

"Put down the stick."

"Why? Does it threaten you?" Draco countered with another trademark smirk.

"Do _I_ threaten you?"

Draco shrugged as best he could with a hand wrapped around his throat. "Do _I _threaten _you_? I mean, I must considering if I didn't you wouldn't be making an attempt ot kill me."

"Who said I was gonna kill you?"

"I just assumed. Buffy won't be too pleased."

"Buffy is mine--"

"Buffy belongs to nobody. What's goin' on here boys?" Buffy asked with her hands on her hips and her jaw set in a stern line. "Getting to know eachother, I see?"

Angel's hand immediatley dropped from where it proceeded to strangle Draco and the flaxen wizard quickly slid his wand back into place. They each took a step back from eachother and only nodded at the other.

"Just having a chat over tea."

Angel cleared his throat. "Yes, and I particularly like the my tea the best. It's delicious."

Draco looked at Angel like he was the stupidest person.. er vampire who walked the earth. "That's not what I meant you nimwit."

"You're just like Spike. I really don't like it. I don't know what she sees in you."

"She sees someone who breaths."

"SHE is right HERE!" Buffy shouted loudly enough for both men to turn and face her with apologetic looks.

They both mumbled brief 'sorrys' before re-entering the lobby. Buffy stopped Angel before he could go in and made sure that Draco was clear out of hearing and in conversation with Willow.

_Although we both lie close together  
we feel miles apart, inside_

"Don't cause any trouble." She warned.

Angel scoffed. "Don't, Buffy. You're in _my_ hotel. With _my_ rules. _My_ game."

"Is that what this is to you! A game! Oh let's see who can win Buffy's heart! Oo! Oo! Can I go first!" She screamed sarcastically, uncaring to the full room that had turned to watch the scene.

"Buffy, can we do this later?" He asked softly.

"No! I don't think so! I'm SO not in the mood to pretend I'm not getting pissed off at you! Every single time I see you, you're like this, Angel. YOU left ME remember that? Huh! Do ya! Cause I sure as hell do!"

"Buffy, please--"

That was when her first made full forced contact with his jaw.

_Was it somethin' I said or somethin' I did  
Did my words not come out right  
Tho' I tried not to hurt you  
Tho' I tried  
But I guess that's why they say_

And he _so_ wasn't expecting that. He reached up and massaged the spot that was going to have a fresh bruise in an hour or so and then clenched his fists, fighting the change. He could control it, he could control himself...

"Did it hurt?" She asked him weakly.

With only a slight nod, he made no other motion.

"Good." Her fist slammed into his face once more only this time on his right upper cheek. Angel stumbled back at the impact, still a bit surprised she had hit him again. Once was enough for crying out loud!

"Buffy, I'm not gonna hit you."

She gave a heartless chuckle and then took a step toward him, clenching her fists at her side. "Yes you are." She punched him again. "And I'm gonna kick your ass for it too."_  
_

_Every Rose Has It's Thorn  
Just like every night has it's dawn  
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song  
Every Roes Has It's Thorn_

Draco moved forward to intervene but Willow grabbed his upper arm and shook her head.

Wesley gave a soft smile. "As Cordelia once said, It's the Angel and Buffy show. First they talk out their differences and then they punch them out. Or something along those lines, I believe." He missed Cordelia dearly and the thought of her was heartwrenching.

Draco winced as Angel made a failing attempt to ignore the pain she was causing him with her words and reflexes. "So uh... will she kill him?"

Willow knitted her eyebrows together. "You're worried about his welfare?"

With a small laugh, Draco shook his head. "No, but if she kills him then I won't have to. Just something to cross off my 'To-Do' list."

_I listen to our favorite song  
playing on the radio  
Hear the DJ say love's a game of  
easy come and easy go_

"You told me you loved me and you left me! How _dare _you take something so precious to me and stomp on it like you did! Every hit you take represents a part of me, a part of us that I'm throwing away!" She threw punches left at right screaming profanities at the top of her lungs.

"For the night we made love." Punch. "The Prom." Punch. "The day when you were human! You ASS!" Pu-- or not. Angel grabbed her tiny fist within his own and shoved her back. She fell backwards on the floor but immediatley stood up.

Looks like Angel had enough and he was cracking his neck as he fought his transformation once more. Buffy went for a roundhouse kick but was cut short when Angel grabbed her leg in mid-air and flipped her to the floor. She put her hands behind her head and did did a back handspring until she was on her feet again.

He slammed his fist against the side of her eye and then grabbed her roughly by the waist. "Stop it." He whispered harshly into her ear. Blood seeped from his inhuman skin and his teeth were baring in a pearly whiteness.

Buffy watched the thick red liquid trickle down her brow and in front of her eye.

_But I wonder does he know  
Has he ever felt like this_

_And I know that you'd be here right now  
if I could have let you known somehow, I guess  
_

Willow and Draco both decided that this was enough and pulled the two apart. It was quite simple, considering neither argued or said much of anything. They were too emotionally weak to speak or think or hell, even throw another punch.

Draco led Buffy to some empty room down the dimmed hallway and sat her down on the edge of the musty bed while he searched for a first aid kit. Luckily, Angel seemed to keep one in every room or some sort of system like that. Draco found one beneath the sink in the adjoining bathroom.

He kneeled down before his love and took out some peroxide and cotton swabs, beginning to dab at the small wound about her eye. He would've used magic, but that wouldn't make the wound infection-free. He wanted to make sure.

"Do you care to talk about it?"

Buffy shook her head and things remained quiet for a few minutes.

"I do love him." She said softly, breaking the silence. "But it's an old love that I don't feel anymore. It's put away in my heart so that I can start anew, a fresh love that I want, that I need. A love I have with you. Or a love I'm _trying_ to have with you. I love him like a person **should** love an old lover. An old friend. He just.. he can't move on."

Draco carressed her cheek with his free hand while the other dabbed at the cut.

"I understand, and don't worry.. I think he gets the idea."_  
_

_Every Rose Has It's Thorn  
Just like every night has it's dawn  
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song  
Every Roes Has It's Thorn_

"She's really, really over me." He said in a daze.

Willow rubbed his back sympathetically and sighed. "She loves you... but... not to sound mean Angel, but she's kinda over it. You need to move on too. You wanted her to find someone who she could love and someone who .. well... was human, normal, could give her what you couldn't. Be happy for her and move on."

His lips pressed against hers in a quick moment of passion that Willow instantly broke.

"Nuh-uh.. move on, but not to me! I'm gay! Gayness here, remember?"

Angel sighed. "Sorry, I just--I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm making a bad attempt at moving on."

"Hey, no big. Just take it slow and uh.. try and make amends with Buffy. Oh! And being civil to Draco wouldn't hurt either. He isn't a bad guy, Angel. I've talked to him and he really cares about her."

_Though it's been a while now  
I still feel so much pain_

_Like a knife that cuts you  
the wound heals, but the scar, that scar remains_

"Harry you need to listen. I'm not some sort of mirage and you're not bloody crazy!" Sirius tried once more to get Harry to believe him.

"Yeah, Harry. This is your uncle right?" Dawn asked as she looked at Sirius.

"Godfather."

"Your Godfather. Believe me."

Hermione shrieked in frustration. "Harry James Potter! Stop this right now! It's ridiculous! You _know_ that we would never lie to you! Voldemort is GONE! He isn't playing with your mind and he isn't using us to harm you! Harry, we're your friends, not your enemies."

Harry shook his head and looked down at the linolium floor. "I know you wouldn't." His voice was almost a whisper, barely audible. "I know you wouldn't and I just-- I'm confused. He's been gone for so long and I've learned to deal with it. I've been bloody hell bent on putting it behind me and now it's thrown in my face like a souvenir."

"Harry, mate, just take some time and think about it, okay? Maybe we should uh, eat---"

"Dinner's ready." Wesley said, as if on cue, from the kitchen doorway.

Dawn sighed. "Oh this'll be fun."

_Every Rose Has It's Thorn  
Just like every night has it's dawn  
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song  
Every Roes Has It's Thorn_


	14. Let Me Fall

**A/N:** I am totally sorry about the long wait on ALL of my fics. It's been a really rought summer. After my sister's wedding, I was in Kansas for three weeks and flew back because my grandpa passed away on Saturday. Its been so hectic and I apologize about the long wait for the next chapter. Hope you like it. Sorry it's so short!

**IceBlueRose** - You're so funny! I'm glad you like my quotes. I love writing Draco. He's the coolest part to write. I'm glad you liked the interaction and ass kicking. Fun fun fun!

**Christina** - Alright, long review (thanks for it, by the way.) You actually gave me a VERY good plot... but I'm not gonna say it here cause that'd ruin everything! Hehe...I'm totally not a B/S person AT ALL! I hate the pairing and I can't stand reading it. Buffy/Sirius did cross my mind at one point, but everybody expected that right? I wanted to twist it into something unpredictable. And as for Harry, don't worry, his shock is just about over. I'm still trying to develop an evil scandel for him to be heroic in. Draco isn't all a good guy. He has his moments most definatley. Thanks again!

**Angel sumoritos** - My Draco/Buffy pairing is as random to me as it is to you. I think it's cute though. I hate B/S... as I stated to Christina. B/A I think is over. They need to move on (though I'm totally a shipper)

Another thanks to **Caz92**,** midnightPixie13**, and,** Just Me. **

Song by Alexz Johnson (Let Me Fall)

**Chapter 14: Let Me Fall**

"Willow?" Dawn asked her red-headed friend warily as they got ready for bed that night. She and Willow were staying in one of the guest rooms as was everyone else.

"Yeah Dawnie?" Willow pulled the oversized t-shirt over her head and shook her hair free.

"Is Draco a bad guy?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that. I haven't really had a chance to get to know him." She paused dramatically. "I just get this... this vibe, ya know? Something's not right. I don't know if it's Draco or Sirius or heck, even Hermione."

"So we should keep an eye on everyone? Your vibes are usually totally right."

_I feel chained, chained down  
You shoved me to the ground  
I can't run, I can't shout  
Just let me out _

"Yeah, we need to make sure that everyone is trustworthy."

"Will, even I know that not everybody is trustworthy." Dawn ran a brush through her auburn locks.

"Exactly my point. That means someone in this house--hotel isn't who we think they are."

"In a very confusing way, I think I understood that."

Buffy tossed and turned all night long. Her head hurt and her body was aching. She squeezed her eyes shut and rolled over once more. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and looked around. The room was all dark except for the strip of moonlight that splayed across the queen sized bed.

"Draco?" She whispered to the air. He was not beside her like he was hours ago. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was half past midnight.

"Draco?" She asked again. Buffy put her feet on the cold, hardwood floor and stood. She rubbed sleep from her eyes stretched. Although there was nothing to worry about, she felt anxious. Nauscious too. Not a good combination.

She walked to the door that led to the bathroom and realized it was open. The light was off meaning nobody was in there.

She continued until she reached the door and followed down the hall. No lights were on so it made it hard for her to see, even with her Slayer vision. She thought she might trip as she traveled down the stairs where a loud crash greeted her.

Her head shot in all directions until she finally began towards where the sound had came from. A light was shining underneath a closed door. It was a pale yellow light, not as bright as a bulb, but not as dim as a candle.

_So heartless, this couldn't mean less  
Gonna push it in your face   
I'm only human  
And I've got something to say _

She quickly pushed open the door and stood in her battle stance.

Harry and Sirius jumped from their positions at the breakfast bar. Buffy realized she was in the kitchen and barging in on a midnight chat over cookies and milk. Spilt milk, actually. The glass had tipped over and spilt all over the floor. Explains the crash.

"I'm like, so sorry." She apologized, dropping her stance and standing there feeling like an idiot.

Sirius and Harry both laughed. "You're quite paranoid, are you not?" Harry asked. Buffy had never seen this side of Harry. She may have only known him for a few hours, but he seemed so shaken and.. well, melodramatic. (wink!)

"A little bit." Buffy admitted. "I should probably go. Sorry for interrupting--"

"It's not a problem. Harry and I were just discussing the next brewing evil."

"Oh yeah?" Buffy asked taking a seat beside Harry.

"Malfoy."

"Draco?" She asked in a 'yeah right' kind of voice, raising her eyebrows.

"Of course." Harry said as if it was the simplest thing on earth.

"Right..."

"He's an arrogant git."

_Let me rise, let me fall  
Let me breathe  
I wanna lose control, I'm not afraid to lose it all  
Let me break, let me crawl  
Cause I'll get back up again if you let me fall _

Buffy laughed. "That doesn't make him evil."

"It does in my book."

Sirius nudged Harry and Harry was silent for a moment. "Why are you with him?" He asked nosily.

She shrugged her petite shoulders softly and averted her eyes. "Because he listened."

No words came from Harry's mouth and no obnoxious sneer was visible on his face. His features softened and he nodded, not understanding and not sure that he wanted to.

_If I burn down in this fire  
Well, I got myself to blame  
I can't stop or give it up  
I need to feel the pain  
_

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

Ron knitted his brow as he finished that last sip of tea. Hermione still had half a mug full. She was fidgeting so bad that he wasn't sure that _she_ was okay. "I'm positive he'll be fine. Take a breath, 'Mione. He's just scared."

"We all are."

"Yet we don't know of what." Pause. "I wonder if that English chap has any chocolate frogs handy. Does sound quite appetizing, don't it?"

"Not really, Ronald."

"I hate it when you use my full name."

"I hate it when I'm this nervous."

"You have absolutley nothing to be nervous about."

"Exactly! That's what makes me so nervous."

_Can you hear me?  
Don't come near me  
You'll just get in my way   
I'm only human  
And there's nothing you can say  
_

Ron rolled his eyes and set his mug aside. "You gonna drink that? It's probably cold by now anyway."

"No... No, I don't think I will." Ron stood, picked up her mug, and walked to the bathroom where he emptied it.

Hermione was practically shaking. He despised days like this when she had the skitters. It usually meant something bad was going to happen. He placed his hand on hers and rubbed it soothingly.

"Maybe we should go lay down. I'll sleep on the floor tonight."

"Yes, maybe we should."

_Let me rise, let me fall  
Let me breathe  
I wanna lose control, I'm not afraid to lose it all  
Let me break, let me crawl  
Cause I will get up again if you let me fall _

Buffy stood from her place at the breakfast bar and put her hands on her hips. "So has anybody seen Draco? He wasn't in bed when I woke up."

Harry and Sirius looked at eachother and shook their heads.

"No. I don't think we have."

_Say you know who I am  
And what I'm about  
Then you'll understand that I feel alone  
I live my own life  
_

Another crash sounded... but it sounded more disturbing than the first. It was loud and screeching and sounded even painful.

"Did you hear that?" Sirius asked outloud.

Buffy held out her hand and shushed them. "Shh..." She listened. "It's coming from down below. Basement maybe? Cellar?"

"Let's go find out." Harry stood excitedly, ready for action.

_Let me rise, let me fall  
Let me breathe  
I wanna lose control, I'm not afraid to lose it all  
Let me break, let me crawl  
Cause I will get up again if you let me fall  
_


	15. Restless

**A/N:** Ha, okay... So It's Saturday and I've been soooooooo busy since school started that I just haven't had any time whatsoever to update ANYTHING let alone take a nice, hot bath. But, I'm getting myself caught up. I am forcing myself to sit here and write until my fics are updated! Hah! Hows that for disciplinary! I've been having some medical problems lately. I have a bad knee and something wrong with my blood. The doctors won't tell me exactly what yet until they do some more testing... Nerve racking eh? Okay so here goes...

Okay, I only got three reviews. HEY! I don't blame you for giving up on me after that long awaited update. I'm sorry. I really, truly am, but if you keep telling me what you think, I'll be even more happy to write! Reviews are fuel for the mind, the body, and the story!

Song used by Sophie Zelmani - Until Dawn

Thanks to **Lightdemondarkangel**, **Buffy-CrazyaboutAngel** and, **Samantha** (whom by the way, I did not find that story, unfortunatley.)

**Chapter 15: Restless**

"What's everybody doing down here?" Angel asked curiously as he entered the kitchen. It looked as if the three of them were up to something.

Buffy, Sirius, and Harry stopped dead in their tracks and turned to the vampire with innocent eyes.

"Nothing!" Buffy spoke up first. "Just... down for a midnight walk."

"A midnight walk?" He raised his eyebrow questionabley and all three of them nodded in unison. "A midnight walk? Buffy... you used that excuse on your mother when returning home from graveyard hunts with me when you were sixteen!"

She shrugged. "I'm letting out my inner child!"

"What are doing up?" He asked sharply.

"I told you! I'm introducing Sirius and Harry to my inner child!"

The stern glare she recieved from Angel was warning not to continue with that plot. Harry took a step forward.

"Sirius and I were just discussing everything when Buffy entered abruptly with fists raised."

Angel nodded. It sounded exceptable. "That still doesn't explain why the three of you were stalking on tip-toe toward the cellar door, does it?"

"No. It doesn't." Buffy concluded.

"And you're not going to tell me why?"

"Nope." She smiled brightly. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I'm a vampire."

"Ah! And it all makes sense now."

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I should."

"Why aren't you?"

"I'm a Slayer."

"Would you two stop it already!" Sirius interrupted. Their banter was beginning to leave a distraction between the group and the faintly growing noise in the cellar. It was quiet.

Sizzle. Sizzle. Crash. BOOM! Sizzle. Sizzle. Crash. BOOM!

"What was that?" Angel asked glancing from Buffy to the door.

"Not sure... wanna go find out?"

_I wonder, _

_I wonder about the fire _

_One fire I seen to be stuck with _

_It's glowing, and burning, and sparkling of flames_

_I wonder who set it free _

"I hear voices, Willow."

"Dawnie... go to sleep!" A tired Willow mumbled from her bedside. She pulled the pillow from beneath her head and slammed it over her ears.

"Willowwwwwwwwwww..." The girl whined.

"Dawn! Close your eyes and pretend you can't hear anything." She muttered with her eyes tightly closed.

A short pause.

"It's not working. C'mon, Willow! I wanna know what they're all doing up! Maybe it's an emergency! Maybe that Serious guy got kidnapped! OH! Or maybe Angel went all sadistic and murdered Draco..."

"DAWN!" Willow sat up abruptly in the bed and stared at the girl with long auburn hair. "If we go see what's going on, will you pleaseeeeeeee shutup?"

"Yes!" She squeaked excitedly, hopping out of the opposite side of the bed and hurrying toward the door. Willow was only a few steps behind her yawning and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Be quiet if you wanna see what's really going on. You know they'll stop talking if you enter the room."

"Fine. I'm quiet. Can we go now?" She asked in a hushed tone as her hand slowly opened the door.

_I wonder about the sun over the brook _

_I wonder about the genious and the fool _

_I wonder about reasons and what it would take_

_to use their power for their own sake_

The stairs that led down to the cellar were dark and empty so it seemed. The walls were stone and the air was chilly. The smell of must and burnt flesh spread through the thick air as the group moved further into the basement.

Angel was first, he insisted. Buffy was behind him and following her were Sirius and Harry.

"Ouch! Sirius! Be careful!" She whispered quite loudly as he stepped on her heel.

"Sorry..." The wizard muttered.

A green glowing light began to appear from down a long, narrow corridor.

"What's down there?" Harry asked peeking over Sirius' shoulder.

Angel barely shook his head. Not that anyone could see him very well. "I'm not sure. I've only been down here a handful of times and I never really paid much attention to it before."

"Great. Thanks for the reassurance." Buffy pushed past Angel and headed down the long corridor rather quickly. Her footing became stealthier as she reached the turn where the glow was obviously coming from.

Her heartbeat was quickening and her palms were getting sweaty. Why was she so nervous? She's surely faced much worse!

_And I don't know just what to do _

_It's like I could, get crazy about you _

_My fire burns until dawn _

_My fire burns until dawn _

Dawn searched the lobby with her eyes. "Where'd they go! I know I heard voices."

"Don't worry I heard them too." Willow led Dawn into the kitchen where it was also empty. "And I could've sworn I heard-- woah... headrush." The redhead grabbed hold of the breakfast counter and blinked numerous times. Her head was spinning.

"Willow? What's wrong?" Dawn asked worried.

"Dawn we need to go. There's some pretty dark magic somewhere around here. I can sense it."

Dawn swallowed and stared at something past Willow's shoulder. "Would it be behind the open cellar door?"

She nudged him with her foot and he had yet to move. "Get up!" She nudged him again. "Ron! I'm serious, get up!"

"Mm..No fudge crackers for George, Mum! No!"

"Ron! Stop dreaming and wake up!" She kneeled down and shook him. His red hair fell carelessly in his face as he rolled over. "Now!"

"AH! Hermione!" Ron jumped up and had a look of pure terror in his eyes. "Don't do that! Gonna give me a bloody heartattack woman!"

"Do _not_ refer to me as 'woman' ever again. I am Hermione. _Woman_!" She spat. "Ridiculous!"

"Now that you have me up, would you mind telling me what I'm up for?" He asked grouchily while rubbing his eyes.

"I keep hearing these strange noises and I have a horrendous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something terrible is going to happen, Ron. I just know it!"

_And I don't know just what to do _

_It's like I could, get crazy about you _

_My fire burns until dawn _

_My fire burns until dawn _

She held back a scream at the sight before her. Buffy stared without any words, a hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened in shock and horror.

Angel and the others had also stood still just taking in the scene before them.

Wesley.

He was dead.

(Okay.. so did I shock you? I hope so. Wanna know who did it? It's not who you think it is! ... Or is it? REVIEW!)


	16. We're Goin' Down

**A/N: **WESLEY IS DEAD! Can you believe it? I know I sure can't! But who did it? There's numerous opportunities for all of them... but the real question is, what was the motive? I know more than three people read this fic!

Thank you to **DarkAngel1000**, **Buffy-CrazyaboutAngel**, and **Heavens Demise** for reviewing. Still, only three... but thanks lol 3

Lyrics by Fallout Boy -- Sugar We're Goin' Down

**Chapter 16: We're Goin' Down**

"Stop pacing Buffy. You're making yourself insane."

"Don't tell me to stop! I.. I can't believe you!" Not only was she still pissed at him for what happened between them earlier, but now he was so nonchalant about this entire event. "You're best friend is dead and all you have to say is 'Stop pacing Buffy'! I can't believe you Angel. I thought that you, _you_ of all people would care."

"I'm done caring Buffy. It doesn't get me anywhere. All I can do now is find whoever did this to him and make them pay."

"Then don't say you don't care."

_Am I more than you bargained for yet_

_Oh I've been dying to tell you_

_Anything you wanna hear_

_That's just who I am this week_

Angel spoke no words but calmly took a seat behind his desk. He and Buffy were the only two in his office. They thought it best to decide what was to be done _together_.

"I say we get everyone in this hotel in the lobby right now and question them."

"You mean interrigate them so that they fall to their knees crying, begging for mercy?"

"No.. I meant question."

"Buffy-- I know you. Your form of questions and mine are two different things."

"Yes, but both forms end with our hands wrapped around someone's throat."

"True. I'll have Harry call everyone down."

_I'm just a notch in your bedpost_

_You're just a line in a song_

_Drop a heart_

_Break a name_

_We're always sleeping in and we're sleeping_

_For the wrong team_

"Everyone is probably up already."

"Where's Draco?" Dawn asked hesitantly, glancing around the lobby full of people.

"I.. don't know." Buffy answered sadly. "Unfortunatley."

"It was Malfoy! I know it was! He--"

"He _what_... Weasel?" Came a shrill voice from the entrance doors. Draco stood there looking exhausted, his attire and hair disheveled.

"Hey... Draco? Where've you been?" Buffy asked politely making sure that she didn't sound as if leading him into the wrong answer.

"Out. I couldn't sleep very well. I had alot on my mind so I decided to take a walk." He paused and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

_We're goin down, down in an earlier round_

_And sugar we're goin' down swingin_

_I'll be your number one with the bullet_

_A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it_

"Wesley was... murdered. In the basement." Hermione filled in with a soft voice. She didn't know Wesley but it was still sad, especially when the murderer could be any one of them. Not her--of course.

"Who?" Draco thought. "Oh. That British chap? Brown hair, glasses? Was he now?" The blonde beast didn't seem all that interested as he took a seat on the sofa beside Dawn and Willow. "Honestly, you think I did it?"

"I don't know what to think--" Buffy was cut off before she could say anything else.

"--I think that you're the only one without an alibi." Angel spat, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.

Draco sprung to his feet gracefully and moved stealthily toward Angel so they were standing less than two feet from eachother. "Oh really? Where were you when it happened?"

"In the kitchen. With Buffy."

"For how long?"

"Four to five minutes... when we heard the noises down in the basement."

_Is this more than you bargained for yet_

_Oh don't mind me I'm watching you two from the closet_

_Wishing to be the friction in your jeans_

_Isn't it messed up_

_How I'm just dying to be him_

"Then how do we know that before those four to five minutes, Wesley wasn't murdered and you weren't the one downstairs killing him? I mean, you are a demon of the night... all those tricks."

"Oh shut it, Malfoy. You know you did it just as well as we do!" Ron stated abruptly, he too stood from his seat while Harry grabbed his arm to prevent him from lunging.

"Draco please, I think you're sketching a bit out of your own reach." Hermione told him carefully. She didn't want to piss him off even more. She'd never really seen him so defensive, almost like he really didn't do anything.

"GUYS! Can we just stop yelling at eachother!" Dawn shouted. When it was silent she continued. "I know that we're all clearly upset about Wesley. He was a cool dude and now he's... dead." She sniffled and tears welled in her eyes. "But we have to stick together on this! Think about it, maybe none of us did it. It could be Moldy-Wart for all we know!"

"Voldemort." Harry coughed as if clearing his throat.

It was just then that the fireplace on the opposite side of the room roared in bright green flames and out stumbled a bleached blonde, leather-clad vampire. He coughed and pushed himself up from his position on the floor.

Suddenly, a second man tumbled out behind him. This one though had dark messy brown hair and chocolate eyes. He was delicious!

_I'm just a notch in your bedpost_

_But you're just a line in a song_

_Drop a heart_

_Break a name_

_We're always sleeping in and we're sleeping_

_For the wrong team_

"Get off me you sodding idiot!" The blonde scolded the young man. They both stood to their feet and smiled brightly at the group.

"Spike!" Dawn quickly ran and jumped into Spike's arms, hugging him like her brother. Her very dead and cold brother.

"Oliver!" The Golden Trio exclaimed at sight of this old friend. They hugged and shook hands.

Harry stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is Oliver Wood. He was my Quidditch Captain for most of my Hogwart's years."

"This is Spike! Oh wait.. almost everyone has met you." Dawn said boredly. "I never get to introduce anyone fun."

Spike scoffed. "I resent that."

Buffy glared at the vampire. She was never too fond of him, especially after their time spent. "Shutup Spike."

"I'm Buffy Summers. It's nice to meet you Oliver." She shook his hand and caught his eye for a moment, lingered, then pulled away.

Angel was not impressed with this new mans presence.. or Spike's. He looked them both over warily. "Not to be rude or anything but why are you here?"

Spike kicked his legs up on the coffee table and leaned back against the sofa. "Well, Peaches, it has come to ol' Ollie's attention that Wesley is giong to be killed or something of the sort so he went to the big bad Sunnydale lookin' for the Slayer."

"I found _him_ instead." Oliver added unenthused.

"Aren't you a lucky one." Buffy smiled sarcastically.

"_Anyway_..." Spike continued. "I said I'd take him to where you all were. And look at what a find job I did!"

"You also brought yourself." The blonde Slayer commented with the raise of an eyebrow.

"Who's lucky now?"

"Obviously us."

_We're goin down, down in an earlier round_

_And sugar we're goin down swingin_

_I'll be your number one with the bullet_

_A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it_

Oliver examined the position of the body carefully. It looked as if Wesley had been tortured first and then killed with a curse. Though he couldn't tell if the curse was from a wand or from a hand. It would take more thorough examination.

Buffy watched him from a short distance. He knew she was there but she didn't want to be a big bother. She was leaning against the stone wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She changed from her pajamas to a pair of jeans and a black off-the-shoulder sweater. It was refreshing.

"Is this what you do everyday?"

Oliver didn't look up at her. "Depends on the day. I'm on call so I get several different cases."

"What is it that you do exactly?" She wasn't quite sure she trusted him just yet.

"I'm an Auror. I fight the villians, the bad wizards. I'd assume that this is the case of a bad witch or wizard due to the curse that killed him and the fact that if it wasn't done by a witch or wizard, I wouldn't have gotten called in."

"Not to be nosy or anything..." She stepped forward toward the body and crouched down on her knees so that she and Oliver were eye level.

"You're being nosy." He told her with a brilliant smile.

Buffy blushed and laughed slightly but it faded when she caught scent of Wesley's decaying body. "What killed him? I mean.. what kind of curse?"

"A bad one. I won't know until I have St.Mungo's take a look. This really isn't my department. I'm just supposed to unmask and fight the bad."

She nodded disappointedly. She was kind of hoping for more than that so that she could get a lead on the killer. Oliver did help her narrow out some things. It obviously wasn't Dawn, Angel, or herself. It had to be someone with power. Power of a wizard. Power of a witch.

_We're goin down, down in an earlier round_

_And sugar we're goin down swingin_

_I'll be your number one with the bullet_

_A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it_


	17. Sing Me A Secret

**A/N:** YES! I got many more reviews than I had hoped for so guess what, I'm going to write the new chapter right now! Yes, kiddies, thats right... this very second I'm going to start.. Okay, well, after I do all the thank-yous and babbling.

**lora** - I think I mentioned something in the first few chapters (while in the portal) that they could survive without food and water... If I didn't, I think I was asked this question a long time ago and I forgot my answer. Lol I must have simply mixed things up. But to clear it up for you, the portal is empty space. There isn't really anything there, no specific walls, ceiling, flooring.. its just like a big black hole. Therefore, nothing really exists there besides, strangely enough, humans-- er... non-humans.

**Lily Martin** - Constructive criticism, I thank you even though you made me frown a little. Lol. I'm sorry this story confuses you... I, along with most of the other readers, are following pretty well. I do see how it could be confusing and it isn't very well written so I propose that when I finish the story I'll rewrite it with new additions and changes.

**IceBlueRose** - You're reviews always make me giggle! I love them. They're so long and special! They make me feel giddy inside, hehe. First off, Wesley... yes, poor Wesley. He just seems so killable. I'm actually quite proud of myself because I've determined already most of what is going to happen! I know who killed Wesley, why they did it, and how it all happened. What I have yet to figure out is what happens after everyone discovers this. Which won't be for a few more chapters, of course. Oliver and Spike. Two of my favorite characters from each series. I don't think J.K. Rowling gives Oliver Wood enough credit. He's awesome and gorgeous 3. Hermione will always be the logical girl who sees things that nobody else really understands. I love her because of it. Draco... Draco, Draco, Draco. What is there to say? He's conniving, manipulative, has a wand, and the ability to kill. Did he do it? Maybe. Maybe not! .. DUN DUN DUN!

Another Thank you to **SpikesDreamer**, **Buffy-CrazyAboutAngel**, **Heavens Demise**, and **spk**. Thank you all for your reviews... 3

This chapter we'll be seeing lyrcis from the song 'Dirty Little Secret' - All American Rejects. (Totally awesome song, by the way!) I did skip alot of the lyrics because I only needed a few of them-- keep that in mind.

**Chapter 17: Sing Me A Secret**

**The Lobby **was strangely quiet. Nobody wanted to speak and break the awkward silence with more questions and theories. Spike, Willow, and Dawn sat on the sofa while Draco stood off to the side by himself leaning against the wall, arms folded.

"Malfoy, get over yourself." Ron sneered. "And stop pouting like we ran over your puppy."

"Numerous times." Harry added indignantly.

"That is soooo cruel." Dawn scrunched up her face, emphasis on the word 'so'.

"Why don't you go crawl into the whole you came out of." Draco told Ron without looking at him. His mind was focused on one thing and one thing only. Buffy. Why Buffy wouldn't believe him just muddled him. He thought they had something, then again, it was probably just a fling. Wouldn't surprise him one bloody bit!

"-- stupid arsehole."

That was all Draco Malfoy heard Ron spit out when he snapped away from his thoughts.

_Let me know that I've done wrong _

_When I've known this all along _

_I go around a time or two _

_Just to waste my time with you _

**"I don't like **this Oliver guy. He's too... uptight."

"Who is uptight?" Buffy questioned Angel with a raised eyebrow. He could only glare at her.

"Now is not the time to argue."

"Why not? It's what we're obviously best at these days!"

"Well, we wouldn't argue if you'd just shutup about this kind of stuff!"

"I'd shutup if you didn't complain twenty-four hours a day about every person who happens to be male who I could possibly like as _anything_!"

"Can we just-- not do this."

"Not do what, Angel? I'm sick of 'not doing anything'. We need to talk."

"I thought we worked this out earlier."

"You mean when I kicked your ass?"

"Yeah."

"That wasn't really talking."

"That was _my_ idea of talking."

Angel paused. He didn't feel like fighting with her again. He just wanted to find Wesley's killer but he knew that Buffy was right. Without this Oliver guy helping them it'd be really hard to find out what kind of person would do such a thing to an innocent man. Then again, Angel knew alot of people who would.

_Tell me all that you've thrown away _

_Find out games you don't wanna play _

_You are the only one that needs to know _

**Spike** was tired of hearing everyone argue. Usually it would amuse him but these people had nothing good to say. Plus, they weren't even throwing punches yet. Now if only he could get to see a catfight... He was dragged from his thoughts by another petty discussion. This one was Sirius addressing everyone.

"Dawn... what time did you wake up?" He asked with curious eyes.

"Uh... I'm not sure." She shrugged. "A little after 12:30? Willow woke me up, ask her."

Willow looked up from her place on the couch and made a thinking face. "I think it was around quarter of one, actually. I don't really remember."

"And Ron, what time did you say you were up at?"

Ron pursed his lips together and furrowed his brow. Hermione answered for him. "I woke him up. I couldn't sleep and I heard noises. It too, was around 12:45."

Harry butted in. "Sirius and I were in the kitchen from eleven to the time of the incident. Buffy came in around 12:30 and Angel shortly after."

"So it wasn't any of us?" Dawn asked curiously.

"No." Spike shook his head, standing up and laughing. He pointed his finger and Draco. "It coulda been you. You're the only one who wasn't here. Er, the only one without a good reason at least. Then again, it coulda been you." He pointed at Hermione. "I don't know you well but it's always the quiet ones who cause ruccus. You could have killed Wesley and charmed the room with some mojo, then ran up and woke your friend up!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Leave her alone!" Both Harry and Ron said defensively. "She didn't kill anyone!"

Dawn shook her head. "They're right Spike. Hermione wouldn't kill anyone. She's too fragile."

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret _

_Dirty little secret_

_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret _

_Just another regret, hope that you can keep it_

_My dirty little secret _

**Pop.** Oliver appeared out of thin air in Angel's office. "Miss Summers? May I speak to you for a moment?"

Buffy turned to Oliver and smiled. "Buffy, please."

Angel grabbed her arm. "Hey, whatever he has to say can be said in front of me. Unless it's personal."

"Angel, shutup. Go ahead Oliver." Buffy pulled her arm from Angel's grasp and glared at him, turning her full attention on Oliver.

The brown haired man scoffed at Angel's simple jealousy over nothing. "St.Mungo's ran some tests on the body and did the normal proceedure, of course, and they've discovered that the cause of death was the Cruciatus Curse. It usually doesn't kill but on rare occasions when the person is overly worked with it, the curse may cause death."

Angel frowned. "Cruciatus Curse? Whatever, just tell me, did he die painfully?"

Oliver looked at the floor and solemnly nodded his head. "Unfortunatley, yes. He did. Probably the first feeling in his entire life."

"Well gee, thats real comforting." Buffy condoled, patting Angel's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. Thank you, Oliver."

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret _

_Dirty little secret_

_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret _

_Just another regret, hope that you can keep it_

_My dirty little secret _

**Dark.** Clammy. Cold. That's what this place was. Like a dungeon that reeked of death and chaos. An evil lived here. Something so evil that it was unthinkable...

"My Dark Lord..." Started the creature. "Your wishes have been fufilled."

A deep, echoing voice slithered its way across the room. "Did she cooperate?"

"She did not. But the curse worked well."

"Imperius, I assume?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Her memory vanished of this event?"

"For now. It will return eventually but not before our work is complete."

"The deed is done, then?"

"We had to kill an innocent in the process...But, yes, the deed is done."

"Be off with you!"

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret _

_Dirty little secret_

_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret _

_Just another regret, hope that you can keep it_

_My dirty little secret _


	18. Important Notice

**ATTENTION!**

p Alright my friends. /p 

br Here's the deal. /br 

br I think I'm going to discontinue all of my stories. /br 

br I just... lost the fanfiction momentum, the thrill, the blah blah blah. /br 

br No sense in me boring you with the details. /br 

p Anywho, if there is anyone willing or wanting to take over any of my current stories, let me know! /p 

br If you want my Quizilla account, email me or something and you can check out my original work there. /br 

p I love you and I apologize for this inconvienence! /p 


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